A type of plastic used in many food packaging products could contribute to fatty liver disease and make the condition worse when combined with an unhealthy diet, according to new research. The team set out to determine whether polyethylene could contribute to fatty liver disease, a condition in which excess fat accumulates in liver cells. Polyethylene & Fatty Liver DiseaseAccording to the researchers, polyethylene exposure increased markers of the disease and produced even greater effects when combined with a diet resembling a typical Western eating pattern. To understand what was happening inside the liver, researchers collaborated with scientists at the University of Oklahoma and used a technology known as spatial transcriptomics. "This is the pioneering study showing that polyethylene can contribute to fatty liver disease and the use of spatial transcriptomics has determined exactly where the damage has happened within the liver," Joshi said.