Is honey safe even though some brands now test high for microplastics?

What's actually in it

Bees forage over miles of farmland and pick up airborne microplastic fibers on their bodies and the nectar they collect. The plastic ends up in the comb and then the jar. After processing, plastic from filters, transfer hoses, and squeeze bottles can add even more.

The jar matters too. Plastic squeeze bottles shed into the honey over time. Glass jars don't.

What the research says

A 2026 study in NPJ Sci Food tested honey types across the supply chain and found that bigger industrial honeys had several times more microplastic per gram than small-batch raw honey from local hives. Plastic squeeze bottles were the worst container. Glass jars with metal lids tested cleanest.

The team treated honey as a real-world tracker for plastic pollution.

Buy raw honey in glass from a local source when you can. Skip the squeeze bear bottles for daily use, especially for kids who finish whole bottles. Honey under one year old is still not safe for babies, no matter the source.