Your Dinner Plate May Contain Microplastics

Once a symbol of convenience, now an invisible threat

The modern meal can come with an unexpected side dish: tiny plastic particles. They aren’t listed on menus or grocery labels, yet they can enter food through packaging, processing, water, air, and everyday wear-and-tear from plastic items.

Microplastics are commonly described as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres. “Nanoplastics” are even smaller—often measured in micrometres down to nanometres—and can be harder to detect with standard monitoring methods, which is one reason exposure estimates vary across studies. A growing body of research suggests micro- and nanoplastics are widespread in the environment and can enter the food chain, though the extent of human health impacts is still being clarified.

Table of Contents

How microplastics get into food

Some contamination can begin at home. Plastic cutting boards, containers, utensils, and non-stick coatings can shed particles through heat, abrasion, and repeated washing. But the bigger story is upstream: plastic waste and synthetic fibres break down and disperse through rivers, oceans, soils, and the air, which can deposit particles onto crops or into waterways used for irrigation.

It’s easy to feel helpless—especially because exposure can’t be reduced to zero. Still, it can be lowered. Practical steps include using glass or stainless steel for storage, avoiding heating food in plastic, reducing heavily packaged foods where possible, and improving indoor ventilation and cleaning to limit dust that may contain plastic fibres.

Microplastics: Worn plastic cutting board with heavy knife marks beside chopped vegetables and a kitchen knife. — Everyday kitchen plastics can shed tiny particles through heat and abrasion.

Health risks of microplastics: what the evidence shows

Researchers are actively investigating what micro- and nanoplastics do in the human body. Much of the strongest evidence today shows presence and potential mechanisms (like inflammation or oxidative stress), while causal links to specific diseases in humans remain an evolving area.

1) Microplastics have been detected in human tissues and fluids

Multiple studies and reviews report microplastics in a range of human samples and systems, including blood, reproductive and digestive samples, and other tissues. For example, one biomonitoring study reported plastic particles in human blood, suggesting uptake is possible beyond the gut, and a broader review of detection across organ systems summarises the growing evidence base. Leslie et al. (2022); Roslan et al. (2024).

Microplastics have also been reported in the placenta in a widely cited study using Raman microspectroscopy. Findings like these raise important questions about exposure during pregnancy, although researchers continue to debate detection methods, contamination controls, and what “presence” means for health outcomes. Ragusa et al. (2021); Sharma et al. (2024).

2) Entry pathways include food, drinking water, and air

Food is one pathway, but drinking water and inhalation may also contribute. The World Health Organization has noted that microplastics have been detected in drinking water (both tap and bottled) and that current evidence on health effects is limited, calling for more research and better standardised methods. WHO (2019)

Newer measurement techniques are also detecting very small particles in bottled water at far higher counts than earlier microplastics-only methods could capture. For instance, a 2024 paper using advanced imaging estimated hundreds of thousands of micro- and nanoplastic particles per litre in bottled water samples. Qian et al. (2024)

3) Mechanisms of harm are plausible, but human outcomes are still being pinned down

Laboratory and toxicology studies suggest that microplastics can contribute to biological processes such as oxidative stress and inflammation—mechanisms associated with many chronic diseases. Reviews in recent years synthesise this evidence while also highlighting uncertainties around real-world exposure levels, particle types, and how findings translate from lab settings to human populations. Kadac-Czapska et al. (2024)

4) Chemical additives can add another layer of concern

Plastics may contain additives (and can carry environmental pollutants) that are themselves associated with endocrine and metabolic effects. Additives such as bisphenols and phthalates are widely studied endocrine-disrupting chemicals; when they migrate into food or the environment, they can contribute to exposure even apart from the particles themselves. Recent reviews discuss how microplastics and endocrine-disrupting compounds may interact through overlapping pathways. Ullah et al. (2023)

5) Cancer language needs caution

It’s reasonable to say researchers are investigating whether microplastics contribute to cancer risk through mechanisms like inflammation, oxidative stress, and chemical co-exposures. But it is not accurate to state that microplastics are definitively “carcinogenic” in humans at this point. Major cancer organisations describe the evidence as emerging, with ongoing research needed. American Cancer Society

Common foods and drinks where microplastics have been reported

1) Seafood (fish and shellfish)

Seafood is often highlighted because marine environments receive large quantities of plastic pollution, and many species can ingest particles. A peer-reviewed study reported microplastics (or related particles) in 180 out of 182 seafood samples collected from US West Coast sources, with higher levels reported in shrimp. SeafoodSource summary of the study

Importantly, this does not mean “all seafood everywhere” is uniformly contaminated at the same levels. Results depend on species, region, sampling, and detection methods.

2) Rice

Rice can pick up contamination through processing and packaging, and some studies have measured plastic-associated chemicals in store-bought rice products. One study reported that rinsing rice before cooking reduced measured plastics contamination by roughly 20–40%, while instant (pre-cooked) rice contained higher levels than uncooked rice. Dessì et al. (2021)

3) Salt

Microplastics have been reported in some commercial salt products in multiple countries, with wide variation between brands and study methods. A Scientific Reports paper is often cited in this area, and more recent reviews continue to emphasise how methods strongly shape reported results. Karami et al. (2017)

4) Tea bags (especially plastic-based “silky” bags)

Some tea bags contain plastic polymers (such as nylon or PET). A well-cited laboratory study reported that steeping a plastic tea bag at brewing temperature could release large quantities of micro- and nanoplastic particles into water. Hernandez et al. (2019)

If this is a concern, options include loose-leaf tea with stainless steel infusers, or paper-based tea bags without plastic sealing. (Packaging varies, so checking product materials matters.)

5) Drinking water and beverages

Microplastics have been detected in both tap and bottled water, but concentrations vary widely. The WHO notes the evidence base is still developing and calls for better standardisation and more research on health impacts and treatment effectiveness. WHO (2019)

For people trying to reduce exposure and single-use plastic waste, using a reusable bottle (stainless steel or glass) and drinking filtered tap water where safe and available can be a practical approach.

6) Milk and dairy (emerging evidence)

Studies have begun reporting microplastics in dairy products, with variation by product type and likely contamination points (packaging, processing, transport, and environmental exposure). One recent paper reported measured microplastic concentrations across milk and cheeses, with higher levels in some cheeses than milk. Visentin et al. (2025)

7) Fruits and vegetables

Research increasingly examines whether micro- and nanoplastics can reach edible plant tissues through soil, irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition. Reviews summarise evidence for uptake and transport in plants while emphasising that real-world exposure levels, particle sizes, and analytical methods vary widely. Lazăr et al. (2024)

8) Honey

Honey is sometimes discussed as a potential indicator of environmental contamination because bees forage across wide areas and hive matrices can accumulate particles. Experimental work has shown microfibres can be incorporated into hive matrices, including honey and wax, under controlled conditions. Alma et al. (2023)

9) Ultra-processed foods (a plausible pathway, not a simple “microplastics cause X” story)

Ultra-processed foods often involve extensive contact with industrial equipment and packaging materials. Researchers argue that plastic food-contact chemicals and packaging exposures are an underappreciated dimension of modern diets, even as direct measurements of particle contamination vary. Yates et al. (2024)

Plastic alternatives and innovations: a path away from microplastics

Reducing microplastics in food is ultimately a systems problem: plastic production, product design, waste management, and leakage into the environment. Still, some materials and approaches aim to reduce reliance on conventional plastics in packaging.

1) Bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics (with important caveats)

Bio-based or compostable materials are often marketed as solutions, but their real-world benefits depend on design, clear labelling, and the availability of appropriate collection and industrial composting infrastructure. Environmental agencies warn that biodegradable and compostable plastics can create confusion, contaminate recycling streams, and may not break down as expected outside controlled conditions. European Environment Agency (2020)

This is one reason many experts stress “reduce and reuse” before substitution: fewer single-use items generally beats swapping one disposable material for another.

2) Mushroom (mycelium-based) packaging

Mycelium-based composites are being explored as alternatives to plastic foams and some packaging applications. Reviews describe promising properties (lightweight, mouldable, potentially biodegradable) while also noting that performance varies by substrate, processing, and end-of-life conditions. Shin et al. (2025)

3) Seaweed-based films and coatings

Seaweed-derived polysaccharides (such as alginates and carrageenans) can be formed into films and coatings, and research explores their potential to reduce plastic use in some food packaging contexts. Reviews discuss both the promise and the practical hurdles (cost, moisture sensitivity, scaling, and food safety requirements). Nesic et al. (2024)

4) Reusable food storage (including beeswax wraps)

For households, reducing single-use plastic often starts with reusables: glass containers, stainless steel, and washable covers. Beeswax wraps are one reusable option for certain foods, with clear limitations (for example, they’re not recommended for raw meat or high-heat use). A university extension overview summarises practical use and safety considerations. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (2024)

Challenges and the road ahead

Microplastics are not a problem consumers can “shop” their way out of. They are a symptom of how deeply plastic is embedded in modern systems—packaging, textiles, transport, agriculture, and waste management. The science is moving fast, but uncertainty remains about dose, particle types, and the most important exposure pathways for human health.

That uncertainty isn’t a reason to do nothing. It’s a reason to push for better product standards, stronger waste systems, and policies that reduce plastic leakage—while making practical household choices that lower exposure where feasible. What was once introduced for convenience has become a persistent pollutant, and the cost is increasingly paid in ecosystems, wildlife, and potentially, our bodies.