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Study by the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea indicates that a probiotic bacterium isolated from the fermented food was able to bind to nanoplastics in laboratory tests and increased the elimination of particles in mice.
Microplastics may face a new challenge from a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi, according to South Korean scientists. It can bind to particles in the intestine and aid in their removal through waste.
The announcement was made by the World Institute of Kimchi, linked to the Ministry of Science and ICT. The discovery came after a study with a strain of lactic acid bacteria isolated from the fermented food.
Microplastics and nanoplastics in the digestive system
Nanoplastics measure less than 1 micrometer and arise when larger plastics decompose over time. These particles can enter the body through food and drinking water.
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Because they are extremely small, there is concern that they may cross the intestinal barrier and accumulate in organs such as the kidneys and brain. Scientists are investigating biological ways to reduce their accumulation in the digestive system.
Kimchi bacterium maintained a stronger bond
The team led by Drs. Se Hee Lee and Tae Woong Whon studied Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656. The strain was tested against polystyrene nanoplastics, known as PS-NPs, under standard laboratory conditions.
In these tests, the kimchi bacterium achieved 87% adsorption efficiency, almost matching the reference strain Latilactobacillus sakei CBA3608. It recorded 85% under the same evaluated conditions.
In an environment similar to the human intestine, the difference increased. The reference strain dropped to 3%, while CBA3656 maintained 57% binding, suggesting greater resistance in the digestive tract.
Test in mice indicated greater excretion
The team also evaluated germ-free mice. Males and females that received CBA3656 showed more than double the nanoplastics in their feces compared to animals without the probiotic.
Researchers claim that the bacterium can help remove particles from the body itself by binding to them in the intestine and promoting excretion. The study was published in the journal Bioresource Technology.
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