We are constantly asked if we know what we're eating, but it's just as important to know how the food is prepared and that you're using the right tools.
A chef shared a video to r/mildlyinfuriating of an unfortunate testament to this while prepping food at their restaurant.
While chopping lettuce on a plastic cutting board, the chef slides their thumb and index finger along the edge of the blade to reveal visible plastics from the board that are consequently being chopped into the food as well.
"Visible microplastics come off the cutting boards at my work," the OP wrote in the caption.
Then the chef disturbingly tosses all of it back into the pile of lettuce, suggesting it will be used for service, but the larger implication is that this isn't the only restaurant where this could be happening.
Plastic is made from the same materials as motor oil and gasoline, polluting everything on Earth. The soil, the ocean, wildlife, and our very own bodies are all victims of plastic, and even more so with the rise in microplastics.
Avoiding single-use plastics and supporting brands that use alternative packaging to plastic are great ways to reduce plastic waste on your own.
You can also look into recycling health and beauty products that implement take-back programs or offer refillable containers. On that note, be wary of the ingredients in the products you're using and putting on your skin. Companies like the Environmental Working Group can help you find the cleanest products on the market and avoid unwanted byproducts, such as microplastics.
While the majority of the comments below the post debated the definition of micro versus macro, along with which cutting boards to use, there was an agreement that this is definitely a matter of concern.
"Troubling," one comment wrote.
"Bring it up to management," a Redditor advised.
"You never really know what's gonna happen when you eat out these days," another said.
This shows all the more reason to take control and be mindful of what you're being served.
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