Microplastic Debris in Palm Cooking Oil: A Call for Research

¹ Plant Production and Biotechnology – PT Smart Tbk., Bogor 16810, West Java, Indonesia
² University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan 25130, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
³ Universitas Islam Madura, Pamekasan 69317, Madura, East Java, Indonesia
⁴ University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang 65144, East Java, Indonesia
⁵ The State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang 65144, East Java, Indonesia
⁶ Research Center for Food Technology and Processing (BRIN), Special Region of Yogyakarta 55861
⁷ Merdeka University of Madiun, Madiun 63133, East Java, Indonesia
⁸ Central Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Satwa Sehat Indonesia, Malang 65146, Indonesia
⁹ University of Latvia, Riga LV-1004, Latvia
¹⁰ University of Brawijaya, Malang 65145, East Java, Indonesia
¹¹ IPB University, Bogor 16680, West Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: damatumm@gmail.com

Abstract

Microplastic (MPs) contamination investigations have been carried out on 16 cooking oil brands, especially palm cooking oil. MPs analysis used modified fenton oxidative degradation and identification through light optical microscopy. The investigation results presented that all cooking oil brands were dirtied with MPs. The most minor abundance of MPs (0.07 ± 0.09) mL^–1 particle is in the Tl. brand, a premium cooking oil. that matches imported canola oil (Ma. brand). Bulk cooking oil is contaminated with the highest MPs (0.37 ± 0.05) mL^–1 particle, but the contamination can be reduced with packaging, as shown in the Minyakkita brand (0.28 ± 0.05) mL^–1 particle. Red palm oil has contamination i.e., (0.23 ± 0.05) mL^–1 to (0.50 ± 0.05) mL^–1 particle. Investigations at three street vendors of fried food showed that the snacks were contaminated with MPs. Black fiber particles dominate the pollution in cooking oil and fried snacks. It’s suspected that MP pollution has occurred during the CPO process. Considering MPs’ harmful impacts on human health, comprehensive research should be conducted to minimize MP pollution in palm cooking oil. This action must be carried out as a campaign for healthy Indonesian palm oil cooking.