Can plastic food containers shed microplastics that carry heavy metals into your food?

What's actually in it

Microplastics from food containers don't just carry plastic into your body. They also carry heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium that stick to their surface. When these contaminated particles enter your stomach, the acidic environment can strip the metals off the plastic and release them into your digestive system where they're absorbed.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Pollut tested how metals attached to microplastics from food containers become bioavailable during digestion. Using a simulated gastrointestinal model, the researchers found that heavy metals were released from microplastics at levels that could be absorbed by the body. Bio-based containers released metals too, not just petroleum-based plastics.

Microplastics act like tiny sponges, soaking up heavy metals from the environment and food. When you swallow these particles, your stomach acid pulls the metals off. This means microplastics are delivering a bonus dose of heavy metals on top of any metals already in your food.

Store food in glass or stainless steel containers. Avoid microwaving food in any type of plastic, including bio-based containers. Choose unpackaged foods when possible.