Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Is There Evidence of Health Risks From Exposure to Micro- and Nanoplastics in Foods?

This review examines the evidence for health risks from micro- and nanoplastic exposure through food, noting that plastic particles can carry physical, chemical, and biological hazards. The study suggests that ingested plastics could contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune responses, and may even influence food allergy development by altering gut permeability and intestinal microbiome balance.

2022 Frontiers in Nutrition 40 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential of orally exposed risk factors and constituents aggravating food allergy: Possible mechanism and target cells

This review examines how various orally consumed substances, including microplastics, nanoparticles, food additives, and pesticide residues, may worsen food allergies by disrupting the gut's protective lining. Researchers found that these risk factors can damage the intestinal epithelial barrier, allowing allergens to interact more easily with immune cells. The study highlights the need for further research into how everyday environmental and dietary exposures contribute to the rising rates of food allergy.

2024 Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Oral exposure to nanoplastics and food allergy in mice fed a normal or high-fat diet

Researchers studied how oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics affects food allergy responses in mice fed either a normal or high-fat diet. They found that nanoplastics worsened allergic reactions to a food protein, particularly in mice on the high-fat diet, by increasing gut permeability and shifting immune responses. The study suggests that the combination of nanoplastic exposure and a Western-style diet may be contributing to the rising prevalence of food allergies.

2025 Chemosphere 3 citations
Review Tier 2

Immunotoxicity and intestinal effects of nano- and microplastics: a review of the literature

This review examines the evidence on how nano- and microplastics affect the immune system and intestinal health. The findings suggest that exposure to these particles can disrupt the gut microbiome and impair critical intestinal barrier functions, potentially contributing to the development of chronic inflammatory and immune conditions.

2020 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 658 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on allergic airways and potential pathogenesis: a review

This review examines how microplastics, which can enter the body through breathing, eating, and skin contact, may affect allergic airway conditions. Researchers found evidence that microplastics can damage airway lining cells, disrupt the protective barrier of the respiratory tract, and trigger heightened airway reactivity. The study suggests that chronic microplastic exposure may worsen allergic airway inflammation, though more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of micro- and nanoplastics as food contaminants on the immune system

This review synthesized research on how microplastic and nanoplastic exposure affects immune system function, finding evidence across multiple studies that these particles can modulate immune responses and trigger inflammatory pathways in exposed organisms. The authors highlight immune disruption as an emerging health concern from micro- and nanoplastic contamination.

2023 Problems of Nutrition 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics in food system: potential health impacts on human intestinal system.

This review assessed how micro(nano)plastics in the human food system reach the intestine and accumulate in the gut, summarizing evidence that they can alter intestinal barrier function, trigger inflammation, and disrupt the gut microbiome, with implications for long-term digestive health.

2024 Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
Article Tier 2

Intestinal barrier dysfunction and food allergy

This review applies the epithelial barrier hypothesis to food allergy, arguing that environmental exposures including microplastics, nanoplastics, food additives, and detergents disrupt gut and skin barriers and drive the rise in allergic disease.

2024 Rivista di immunologia ed allergologia pediatrica. 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastics on Allergy: Current Status and Future Research Directions

This study reviews current evidence on how microplastics may influence allergic responses, noting that microplastics can compromise epithelial barriers and promote type 2 inflammation associated with allergies. The authors emphasize an urgent need for research into dose-dependent immunotoxicological mechanisms to better understand the relationship between microplastic exposure and allergy development. The study calls for evidence-based policies to reduce microplastic exposure and its potential contribution to the growing allergy burden.

2025 International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of microand nanoplastics on the gastrointestinal mucosa and intestinal microbiome].

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics entering through the food chain affect the gastrointestinal tract, finding evidence of disruption to gut mucosal integrity and intestinal microbiome composition, with implications for digestive health and systemic immune function.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Food

This review summarized the current evidence on microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in food, covering their sources, analytical detection methods, and potential health implications for consumers. The paper highlighted the rapid growth in food contamination data and the ongoing uncertainties about human dietary exposure levels and health risks.

2024 1 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Emerging Contaminants in Food

This systematic review focuses on microplastics and nanoplastics as emerging contaminants in our food supply. These tiny particles enter food through packaging, processing, and environmental contamination. Current detection methods are still limited, making it difficult to fully measure how much plastic we are eating — highlighting the need for better testing to protect food safety.

2021 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 177 citations
Review Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics, intestinal inflammation, and inflammatory bowel disease: A review of the literature

This review summarizes the growing evidence linking micro- and nanoplastic exposure to intestinal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Studies show these tiny plastic particles can trigger immune responses in the gut, alter the gut microbiome, and worsen intestinal inflammation, though more research using standardized methods is needed to confirm these effects in humans.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential risk assessment and toxicological impacts of nano/micro-plastics on human health through food products

This review examined the potential risks and toxicological effects of nano- and microplastics on human health through food products, identifying key contamination sources in the food chain and their harmful impacts on the body.

2023 Advances in food and nutrition research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro(nano)plastics and Their Potential Impact on Human Gut Health: A Narrative Review

This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the gut, finding that they can damage the intestinal lining, trigger immune responses, and disrupt the balance of beneficial gut bacteria in both cell studies and animal models. Since humans are primarily exposed to microplastics through food and food packaging, understanding these gut effects is essential for assessing the true health risks of plastic pollution.

2024 Current Issues in Molecular Biology 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Are microplastics in food a risk factor for obesity: Current evidence, mechanistic pathways and emerging health risks associated with human exposure

This review examines the emerging evidence linking microplastic and nanoplastic exposure to metabolic dysfunction and potential obesity risk. Researchers found that these particles have been detected in multiple human tissues and may contribute to inflammation, hormonal disruption, gut microbiome changes, and altered fat cell development. While animal and laboratory studies support a plausible connection, the study notes that direct evidence in humans is still limited and further research is needed.

2026
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the immune system: How much should we worry?

This review examines how microplastics may affect the human immune system, noting that people are mainly exposed through food and breathing. While early research shows microplastics can trigger inflammation and immune responses in lab and animal studies, the authors stress that more research is needed to understand what this means for human health at real-world exposure levels.

2025 Immunology Letters 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: A Challenge for Food Safety

This review examines microplastics as an emerging contaminant in the food supply, covering how they enter the food chain, their characteristics, and the challenges of assessing their health risks. Researchers found that while microplastics have been detected in a wide range of food products, current scientific data is insufficient to complete a thorough risk assessment of dietary exposure. The study calls for standardized detection methods and more research to establish safe exposure thresholds for microplastics in food.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 113 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nano-plastics Contamination in Foods: Current Understanding of the Health Impact on Human and Potential Solutions

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics enter the human body through food sources including fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, bottled water, salt, and honey. Researchers summarize evidence indicating that these tiny particles can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of gut bacteria once inside the body. The study calls for more research into long-term health effects and the development of solutions to reduce plastic contamination in the food supply.

2024 European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk factors for the prevalence and development of allergic diseases

This review synthesized evidence on risk factors for the development of allergic diseases, covering genetic predisposition, early-life microbial exposure, diet, air pollution, and emerging exposures including microplastics. The authors discuss how environmental changes have driven rising allergy prevalence and identify microplastics as a candidate contributing factor warranting further study.

2024 Liječnički vjesnik
Article Tier 2

Dietary microplastics: Occurrence, exposure and health implications

This review examined the occurrence, human exposure pathways, and health implications of microplastics in food. Researchers found that microplastics have been documented in fishery products, drinking water, sea salt, and other foods, with intestinal absorption considered limited due to particle size. The study suggests that while direct toxicity from ingested microplastics requires further investigation, the chemicals added during plastic manufacturing could potentially cross the intestinal barrier.

2022 Environmental Research 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastic contamination in foods and potential risk to human health

This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about micro- and nanoplastic contamination in food, covering sources, occurrence, and analytical detection methods. Researchers found that while various foods, especially seafood, contain measurable levels of microplastics, the health risks to humans remain difficult to assess due to inconsistent research methods. The study calls for standardized approaches to better evaluate dietary exposure and potential health impacts.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Risk assessment and toxicological research on micro‐ and nanoplastics after oral exposure via food products

This review assessed the toxicological risk of micro- and nanoplastics following oral exposure in humans, synthesizing available data on particle behavior in the gastrointestinal tract, absorption, biodistribution, and potential adverse effects. It identifies significant research gaps and calls for standardized risk assessment frameworks given rising global plastic production.

2020 EFSA Journal 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Untoward Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics: An Expert Review of Their Biological Impact and Epigenetic Effects

This expert review examined the biological and epigenetic effects of micro- and nanoplastics on living organisms. The study suggests that while intestinal uptake of plastic particles appears relatively low and size-dependent, nanoplastics may dysregulate molecular signaling pathways, alter gut microbiota composition, and induce transgenerational epigenetic changes potentially linked to metabolic disorders.

2021 Advances in Nutrition 63 citations