Plastic microbeads (also known as microplastics) can harm human health, and they are everywhere, even in drinking water and food. Experts say that people come into contact with plastic microbeads through food far more commonly than most people realize, including in 5 surprising foods.
Catherine Rolph, an environmental engineering lecturer at the Open University in the UK, wrote on The Conversation website that research suggests the amount of plastic microbeads you ingest daily from food and drinks ranges from 0 to 1.5 million particles.
Here are 5 common foods and beverages that are unexpected sources of plastic microbeads:
When you chew gum, you are actually chewing on a piece of plastic. Most chewing gum is made from a gum base (plastic and rubber) and is added with sweeteners and flavors. During chewing, the gum base releases plastic microbeads. 1 gram of gum can release up to 637 plastic microbeads.
Natural chewing gum made from plant polymers is not much better. The amount of plastic microbeads they release is similar to synthetic gum. This means that plastic microbeads not only come from the gum base but can also get mixed in during production or packaging processes.
Most plastic microbeads are released within the first 8 minutes of chewing. Therefore, to reduce exposure, you should prolong chewing a piece of gum rather than constantly changing to new ones.
Several studies have confirmed that vegetables and fruits are contaminated with plastic microbeads. Apples and carrots are the most highly contaminated, while lettuce has the lowest level of contamination. However, compared to highly processed foods, the contamination of plastic microbeads in fruits and vegetables is still relatively minor.
The specific impact of plastic microbeads on the human body is not yet clear, but antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, such as anthocyanins, promote human health, so consumption should continue.
Salt may seem like a pure and simple seasoning, but research shows that 94% of salt products tested worldwide contain plastic microbeads. This contamination is so widespread that some suggest using sea salt as an indicator of plastic microbead pollution in marine environments.
Research has found that land salts (like Himalayan salt) have higher levels of contamination than sea salt. Scientists are currently exploring new technologies to help purify sea salt, but most of the plastic microbead pollution likely comes from production and packaging processes.
Salt grinders used by people may also exacerbate this situation. Disposable plastic grinders can release up to 7,628 plastic microbeads when grinding 0.1 gram of salt. To minimize exposure, switch to ceramic or metal grinders and store salt in non-plastic containers.
Apart from tea bags, tea leaves, coffee, and milk could also be contaminated with plastic microbeads. Studies show that just one tea bag can release billions of plastic microbeads into the body during steeping, a staggering amount.
Disposable plastic cups are a major source of plastic microbead contamination in hot beverages. High temperatures cause plastic microbeads to be released from the container into the drink.
Hot drinks contain more plastic microbeads than cold drinks, so switching to cold drinks can reduce plastic microbead intake. Purchasing milk in glass bottles has also been shown to reduce plastic microbead consumption.
However, not all beverages are the same. A study on bottled beverages found that plastic microbead contamination in soft drinks and beer bottled in glass is higher than in plastic bottles, possibly due to contamination from painted metal bottle caps.
There are indeed some tea bag brands on the market that are truly plastic-free, using cotton instead of biodegradable plastic. However, identifying these brands can be tricky as labeling standards vary, and not all companies are transparent about their product ingredients.
In conclusion, switching to loose tea leaves and using reusable metal or glass tea cups is an effective way to reduce plastic microbead contamination.
While research shows that most seafood is contaminated with plastic microbeads, perhaps most surprising is that seafood receives less attention compared to other foods.
Research has found that so-called “filter-feeding animals” like mussels have only 0.2-0.70 particles of plastic microbeads per gram, much lower than in tea bags.
Rolph suggests that storing food in plastic containers and consuming highly processed foods can lead to increased levels of plastic microbeads in fecal samples, so it’s best to avoid these situations. Heating food in glass containers instead of plastic ones is also a good way to prevent plastic microbeads from entering food.
Research shows that bottled water contains more plastic microbeads than tap water, so drinking tap water may help reduce your exposure to plastic microbeads. Additionally, boiling water before consumption can remove 90% of plastic microbeads.
In conclusion, while it may be challenging to eliminate all plastic microbeads from your diet, taking these measures should help reduce the chances of ingesting them.