Microplastics in Our Food Chain: What Science Knows So Far

Plastic pollution is no longer just a problem for beaches and oceans. Scientists are now finding microplastics - tiny fragments less than five millimeters - in the food we eat and the water we drink.

How They Enter Our Food

• Seafood: Fish, mussels, and shrimp often ingest plastics in polluted waters, which can then end up on our plates.

• Salt: Microplastics have been found in table salt worldwide, adding thousands of particles a year to our diets.

• Drinking Water: Both bottled and tap water contain microplastics, with bottled water often showing higher concentrations.

• Everyday Foods: Even honey, beer, fruits, and vegetables have tested positive, likely through contaminated soil or water.

What Science Says About Health

The health effects are not fully understood, but concerns include:

• Leaching of chemicals like BPA or phthalates.

• Potential for tiny “nanoplastics” to enter blood or organs, causing inflammation.

• Possible disruption of gut bacteria.

Research is ongoing, but the fact remains: microplastics are in our bodies.

What Can Be Done

• Policy: Bans on single-use plastics and microbeads are helping, but stronger regulations are needed.

• Personal Action: Use less plastic, switch to reusables, and wash synthetic fabrics less often.

• Science and Community: More research and citizen science projects are key to tracking the spread of plastics.

The Bottom Line

From seafood to salt shakers, microplastics have entered the human food chain. The full health risks are still unfolding, but reducing plastic waste now is the best way to protect both ecosystems and ourselves.