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First evidence of microplastic contamination in ready-to-use packaged food ice cubes
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Researchers screened 15 popular commercial brands of packaged food ice cubes in Mexico City and found microplastics in 100% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 19 to 178 particles per liter. The most common plastic types identified were polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide, predominantly in fiber form. The findings indicate that packaged ice cubes represent a previously unrecognized route of human dietary exposure to microplastics.
Concern over microplastics has grown tremendously, and they have been found in all environmental compartments; yet, much remains unknown regarding their impact on a variety of human-consuming food products. Here, we contribute to ongoing research by screening the 15 most popular commercial brands of packaged food ice cubes in Mexico City for microplastics. Microplastics were detected in 100% of the samples evaluated, with concentrations ranging from 19 ± 4 to 178 ± 78 L. There was a significant difference in the microplastic concentration across samples. The mean microplastic concentration was 79 ± 47 L, and the main types were polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl alcohol, tygon polymer, sealing ring gardena 2824 large, polyamide 6, and cellophane. Moreover, microplastics that are fibrous (87%), non-colored (54%), and less than 300 μm in size (63%), were found to be more prevalent. The SEM-EDX analysis showed heterogeneous structural and morphological characteristics of microplastics, as well as traces of Si, S, Ti, Ca, Al, and Na. Furthermore, we estimate that ice cube consumption in Mexico City can result in the inadvertent ingestion of 4.9 × 10 ± 3.4 × 10-1 × 10 ± 7.2 × 10 microplastics annually. The findings of the study revealed that microplastics were identified in ice cubes and can be conveyed to humans, stressing the need of managing and eradicating such contamination from our food.
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Researchers found an average of 183 microplastic particles per liter in beverages and 179 particles per liter in ice packs, mostly polypropylene and PET from packaging. Adults are estimated to consume about 5.5 microplastic particles per kilogram of body weight daily through beverages, making packaged drinks a significant and underappreciated source of human microplastic exposure.
Microplastic Contamination of Bottled Iced Tea
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This study detected microplastic contamination in bottled iced tea products, reflecting the broader infiltration of microplastics into packaged food and beverages. The findings contribute to growing evidence that commercially sold drinks are a route of human microplastic ingestion.
Microplastic Contamination in Industrially Packaged and Locally Produced Ice Creams: Occurrence, Characteristics, Exposure Assessment, and Pollution Risk
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Researchers tested ice cream sold in Türkiye and found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in every single sample of local, unpackaged ice cream and in about 4 in 10 industrially packaged ice creams. The unpackaged ice cream had higher levels of contamination, suggesting that how ice cream is scooped, stored, and handled at the shop matters as much as its packaging. While it's still unclear exactly how harmful eating microplastics is, this study adds ice cream to the growing list of everyday foods where plastic contamination is worth watching.
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Researchers tested 112 food and drink products from markets in Saudi Arabia and found microplastics in all of them, with tea bags containing the highest levels at over 600 particles per bag. Based on typical consumption patterns, tea bag users face the greatest daily microplastic intake, followed by bottled water drinkers, underscoring how common foods and beverages are a significant source of human microplastic exposure.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.