Microplastics and Nanoplastics are Everywhere. Here’s How You Can Limit Your Exposure.
Jake Newby
| 4 min read
If you didn’t already know, microplastics are everywhere, including in the food packaging we handle every day.
Ripping the plastic packaging off a ready-to-eat meal from the grocery store or opening a package of plastic-wrapped fruits or vegetables could contaminate your food with micro- and nanoplastics, according to a new Journal Nature Partner Journals Science of Food study.
Which foods and food packaging commonly contain microplastics and nanoplastics?
Performing the following routine actions with food packaging could shed micro- and nanoplastics into your food and drinks, according to the study:
- Unwrapping cheese, cold cuts, fish and other fatty and moist food.
- Opening and reopening beverages stored in plastic, paper or cardboard containers, such as milk.
- Opening and closing caps and lids on plastic and glass bottles and jars sealed with plastic-coated metal closures.
- Steeping tea bags in water.
Researchers found micro- and nanoplastics in the following food and drink products:
- Beer
- Canned fish
- Mineral water
- Rice
- Soft drinks
- Table salts
- Takeout foods
- Tea bags
Additionally, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contain significantly more microplastics than minimally processed foods, per the researchers, due to the multi-step manufacturing process UPFs undergo, exposing them to repeated contact with plastic food processing equipment.
It’s worth noting that because microplastic research is so new, there isn’t a standard protocol in place for microplastic identification and measurement. The methods researchers used in this study may differ from those used in other current and future research.
What are microplastics and nanoplastics?
Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic, typically between 5 millimeters or less in length. For context, that is smaller than a sesame seed. Microplastics can break down into even smaller pieces called nanoplastics, which are equal to one billionth of a meter.
Microplastics are found in trash, dust, fabrics, cosmetics and cleaning products, according to Harvard Health. They’re in the air we breathe and the water we drink. They can pass through water filtration systems, get into the ocean and threaten aquatic life.
Nanoplastics are so tiny they can enter the body’s cells and tissues, according to the National Institutes of Health. A 2024 study that analyzed micro- and nanoplastics found in three leading brands of bottled water discovered roughly 240,000 fragments of plastic in a one-liter bottle, most of which were nanoplastics. This total equaled between 10 and 100 times more plastic particles than found in previous studies.
Recent studies have discovered micro- and nanoplastics in the human brain, the testes and the penis, as well as the blood, saliva, liver, kidneys and placenta.
What are the health effects of ingesting microplastics and nanoplastics?
Though more research is needed to determine the full scope of health effects tied to ingesting these tiny plastic bits, some research suggests chemicals found in these tiny plastics – such as Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs)– may mimic human hormones and disrupt the body’s natural endocrine system, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Still, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t currently think they pose a risk to human health.
A 2024 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people with micro- or nanoplastics in their carotid artery tissues were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from any cause over the next three years than people who had none in their carotid artery tissues.
Their miniscule size has made micro- and nanoplastics especially difficult to detect, but investigators are trying to figure out how they can get into organs and tissues from the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract, per Harvard Health.
How to avoid microplastics
It’s nearly impossible to prevent exposure from micro- and nanoplastics, but here are practical measures you can take to limit them:
- Store prepped and leftover food in glass containers rather than plastic storage containers.
- Drink out of a reusable, stainless steel water bottle rather than plastic.
- Bring reusable bags and produce bags to the grocery store to use in place of plastic bags.
- Avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic, including baby formula.
- Avoid dishwashing plastic materials to prevent the heat from causing chemicals to leach from plastic containing them.
- Bring a travel mug to coffee shops for takeout to avoid plastic cups.
- Bring your own silverware to the office to avoid plastic utensils.
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