We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Salt in foods: a definitive source of microplastics to humans
AI summary Read the abstract
Analysis of commercial crystal and iodized salts from India and Sri Lanka found 7.9–17.2 microplastic particles per kilogram, predominantly polypropylene and polyethylene fibers under 1 mm, with Indian salt classified at a higher chemical hazard level; daily consumption at WHO-recommended amounts would expose individuals to 14–31 microplastic particles per year. Salt represents a direct, daily dietary exposure route for microplastics, underscoring the need to protect salt production water sources and improve manufacturing processes.
The pervasive contamination of the environment with microplastics (MPs) poses a significant threat to food safety as MPs enter and move up the food chain. Understanding the exposure route via foodstuffs is essential. In this study, we analyzed MP contamination in commonly available brands of crystal and iodized powder salts from India and Sri Lanka. MPs were isolated and identified using digestion, filtration, microscopy, and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. MPs were more abundant in Indian salt (17.16 ± 8.81 MPs/kg) than in Sri Lankan salt (7.9 ± 6.2 MPs/kg), with crystal salt showing higher MP levels than iodized salt in both countries. Fiber-shaped black and white MPs (< 1 mm) were the most common. ATR-FTIR analysis confirmed the polymer composition, predominantly polypropylene and polyethylene, in both Indian (56%, 24%) and Sri Lankan (42%, 28%) samples. Based on polymer hazard scores, the chemical risk of salts was categorized as level II (Sri Lanka) and IV (India). If a person consumes 5 g of salt per day (World Health Organization), Indians would ingest 0.085 MPs/day (31.025 MPs/year), and Sri Lankans would consume 0.0395 MPs/day (14.4175 MPs/year). The presence of MPs in salts is likely due to the use of contaminated water in production and specific manufacturing processes. Ingesting MPs through daily salt consumption poses a risk to human health, highlighting the need for measures to protect salt sources and improve production processes.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic contamination in commercially available table salts of Pakistan
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested table salt sold in Pakistan, from sea, rock, and lake sources, and found tiny plastic bits (microplastics) in all of them, averaging 30-35 pieces per kilogram, mostly black plastic fibers. The good news: because Pakistanis tend to eat less salt overall compared to countries like Bangladesh, their actual microplastic exposure from salt is lower, but the findings still confirm that plastic contamination has worked its way into a kitchen staple nearly everyone uses daily.
Microplastic contamination along the salt production system: insights from water, sediment, and salt samples
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics were tracked through every stage of Indonesian salt production — from seawater and estuarine canals to evaporation ponds, crystallization ponds, and finished salt — finding contamination at all stages with finished salt containing up to 37 items/kg. The results confirm that common dietary salt contains microplastics introduced during open-air solar production, representing a direct and globally widespread route for human ingestion of plastic particles.
Microplastics in Human Food Items
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers documented the widespread presence of microplastics across the human food supply — found in seafood, salt, honey, beer, and tap water — highlighting that virtually no food category is free from plastic contamination and that daily dietary exposure is unavoidable.
Microplastics in Human Health
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the detection of microplastics across freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments and synthesized emerging evidence on their health effects in humans. The paper examines how particle characteristics — origin, shape, and polymer type — influence toxicological outcomes and bioavailability.
Microplastics and nanoplastics in the human diet
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food and drink, finding that the tiniest particles likely penetrate the gut lining and enter tissues in ways similar to drug-delivery nanoparticles. This raises significant concerns about long-term health effects from everyday dietary exposure to plastic contamination.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.