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Microplastic release in mango and pineapple juice: role of storage time and temperature
Summary
Bottled mango and pineapple juices release more tiny plastic particles into the drink the longer they sit on the shelf, especially when stored at room temperature rather than the fridge. After six months, kids drinking these juices would consume noticeably more plastic particles per pound of body weight than adults, suggesting that how and how long we store packaged juices matters for limiting our exposure to microplastics.
The current study aimed to investigate the release of microplastics (MPs) into commercially packaged mango and pineapple juices stored at 4 and 25°C for 180 d (0, 1, 7, 14, 28, and 180 d). The samples were digested with H2O2, filtered, and analysed by optical microscope in terms of abundance, size, colour, and shape. Then, MPs were then fixed on adhesive copper tape, and polymer type was detected using confocal Raman spectroscopy. Also, the MPs surface morphology and chemical composition were analysed by SEM-EDX. Thereafter, the estimated daily intake (EDI) of MPs by juice consumption was estimated. MP abundance increased significantly with storage time and temperature. After 180 d, concentrations of MPs in mango and pineapple juice were 13.65 ± 0.45 and 16.55 ± 0.35 MPs particles/50 mL at 4°C, and 18.75 ± 0.51 and 19.68 ± 0.42 MPs particles/50 mL at 25°C, respectively. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the polymers polystyrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and polyamide. After 180 d of storage, the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of MPs for adults ranged from 0.117 to 0.169 particles/kg/day, with the highest values from juice stored at 25°C (mango: 0.161 and pineapple: 0.169 particles/kg/d), while for children, EDI values were higher, ranging from 0.447 to 0.645 particles/kg/d across both juices and storage temperatures. These findings demonstrate that extended storage and higher temperature significantly enhance MP release, directly influencing consumer exposure levels and highlighting the need for storage-aware risk assessments of beverage packaging.