Plastics for dinner: Store-bought seafood, but not wild-caught from the Great Barrier Reef, as a source of microplastics to human consumers

Seafood accounts for more than 17% of the global consumption animal protein, with an excess 335000 t consumed in Australia throughout 2019-2020. Recently, presence microplastics (MPs) within commercial seafood and potential vectorisation MPs to human consumers has become a significant concern public scientific community. Here, four commonly harvested wild-caught marine organisms were assessed MP presence. These species comprise proportion Queensland industry, as well being highly desirable Australian consumers. The edible muscle tissue discarded digestive (GIT) barramundi (Lates calcifer), coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus), blue leg king prawns (Melicertus latisulcatus), Ballot's saucer scallops (Ylistrum balloti), analysed discretely determine extent which these may be contaminated wild (GIT tissue), they themselves act vector exposure (edible tissue). Wild-caught was predominantly free MPs, tissues from two ten containing only fibres each. All samples GIT scallops, prawns, barramundi. On other hand, fresh, skinless tissues, purchased various suppliers, examined found significantly (0.02 - 0.19 g-1). Overall, results highlight growing consensus that food can simply by prepared environment, focus must shift determining proliferation processing point-of-sale environment.