What foods and drinks have microplastics?

What Foods and Drinks Have Microplastics?

⚕️ MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen, diet, or supplement use, especially if you have existing medical conditions or take medications. The information presented here should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Microplastics have been found in nearly every major food category. From seafood and salt to fruits, tea, and even ice cubes, these particles infiltrate our diet through production, packaging, processing, and handling. This article highlights the most well-documented food and beverage sources of microplastic exposure and how these particles get there. Read more to learn which foods and drinks have microplastics.

What Foods and Drinks Have Microplastics?

Seafood

Microplastics are consistently found in fish, shellfish, sardines, sprats, and even canned or dried seafood [1–6]. Microplastics have been found in both seafood skins and internal organs, meaning even filleted servings carry risk. Microplastics also appear in fishmeal, which loops plastic back into the aquaculture supply chain [1, 7]. Because many sea creatures feed by filtering the water, it’s alarming to learn how many of these organisms are full of microplastic particles.

Salt

Sea salt and table salt from Africa, China, Spain, and elsewhere have tested positive for microplastics [1, 6, 8–10]. These particles enter via seawater contamination and persist through drying and packaging. The concentration of microplastics may vary by geography and processing method, but the key takeaway is that they’re seemingly found everywhere.

Drinking Water

Both tap water and bottled water (both glass and plastic bottles) contain measurable microplastic amounts [1, 6, 11]. Mineral water, filtered water, and especially disposable plastic bottles all contribute significant levels of microplastics [1, 3].

Packaged Beverages

Beer, milk, soft drinks, energy drinks, and tea all show consistent microplastic contamination [1–2, 7, 12–13]. Cold tea and coffee prepared in plastic drip bags also register high particle counts, as do milk and infant formulas stored in plastic packaging [10, 12, 14–15].

Fruits and Vegetables

Apples, carrots, root vegetables, and leafy greens have all tested positive for microplastics [2, 5, 8, 11, 19–22]. These particles can accumulate from contaminated irrigation, soil, the air, or plastic-laden fertilizers. Lettuces grown in urban gardens and carrots exposed to arsenic-prone soils show higher microplastic uptake [1].

Meat and Processed Proteins

Plastic particles are present in packaged meat and chicken. Moreover, using plastic cutting boards introduces additional microplastics into the meat [1, 4, 24–25]. Microplastics contamination can enter meat products at multiple points in the preparation, prior to butchering via feedstock or water contamination, during cutting, packaging, or final preparation.

Dairy Products

Microplastics have been detected in milk, yogurt, infant formula, and powdered milk [1–2, 12, 26–29]. The most likely sources include plastic processing equipment, packaging, and feed-related contamination in dairy-producing livestock.

Honey and Sugar

Honey from multiple regions contains fibers and fragments, though not all studies agree [1–2]. Commercial sugar often tests positive for microplastics, including refined and raw sugars from Europe and elsewhere [2, 10, 17–18].

Takeout and Food Packaging

Microplastics are consistently released from plastic takeout containers, especially when in contact with heat or oil [4, 7, 17, 23]. Polystyrene, polyethylene, and PET particles leach during daily use, storage, or microwave heating.

Processed and Specialty Foods

Ice cubes, dietary fiber supplements, and processed meats all register synthetic contamination [9, 14, 30–31]. Cooking method matters: baking, frying, and microwaving in plastic containers increases microplastic release [17, 32].

Food Contact Materials

Plastic cookware, utensils, bakeware, and PTFE-coated pans shed microplastics and nanoplastics during food prep, especially when heated or abraded [7, 17]. New and old kitchenware both contribute to microplastics, and the studies have shown that more and more microplastics are released over time.

How to Avoid Microplastics

The modern diet is plastic-permeated. Our foods and drinks have microplastics, and are likely the single largest contributors to daily intake. Microplastics come in with your groceries and stay in your cells. And, although you can’t control the food supply chain, you can implement a lifestyle strategy aimed at reducing microplastics exposure and intake.

While it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to avoid microplastics, there are many small, simple actions that you can take each day to lower the amount of microplastics you consume. This is why we developed the Deplasto platform.

Our platform, consisting of supplements, an app for tracking and measuring microplastic intake over time, and lifestyle recommendations is intended to help you avoid microplastics. Our supplement is formulated to support your body’s natural detoxification defenses, including oxidative stress management, cellular repair, and antioxidant support. Our microplastic intake app is designed to show you an estimate of your daily exposure, with every datapoint backed by scientific studies, to help you understand how you can best avoid microplastics. Lastly, given that it’s nearly impossible to completely avoid microplastic exposure, we have a plethora of lifestyle recommendations designed to help you make small changes for big impacts.

Overall, we believe that the best way to eliminate microplastics begins with you and the changes you make to your daily life. Over time, collectively, we can make a significant difference in your health and the environment.

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