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Micro- and Nanoplastics: Pathways of Food Contamination and Human Exposure Along the Farm-to-Table Chain
Summary
Tiny plastic particles (called micro- and nanoplastics) can sneak into our food at almost every step, from soil and water on farms, to factory processing, to our own kitchens, and this review pulls together existing research to map out that entire journey for the first time. While scientists have already found these particles in food and even in human blood and organs, this paper points out that we still don't fully understand how they build up along the way, which matters because closing those gaps could help researchers figure out how to reduce our exposure and protect long-term health.
Micro and nanoplastics (MNPs), defined as particles under 5 mm down to the submicron scale (<1 µm or 1–1000 nm), have shifted from an environmental concern into a general potential contaminant of our global food supply. As plastic production escalates, the fragmentation process disperses particles across soils, water bodies and the atmosphere, resulting in their reported detection in a variety of food products and, in some studies, in human biological matrices including the bloodstream to major organs. However, confirming their presence is not equivalent to tracing their journey. Current scientific understanding of how these contaminants migrate remains uncertain, since most studies focus on isolated sources rather than the interconnected stages of production and exposure. To address this, we propose the Farm-to-Table Microplastic Exposure Cascade (FT-MPEC), an integrated concept designed to describe the potential progressive accumulation of MNPs across the food continuum. This review synthesizes the trajectory of particles from primary production into the food chain, evaluating potential transfer pathways during post-harvest handling, industrial processing and domestic preparation. By mapping these routes, we identify critical knowledge gaps and research priorities necessary to improve future monitoring, exposure assessment and mitigation strategies for public health.