Which foods have the most microplastics?
Bottled drinks and seafood top the list. A 2025 review comparing food types found beverages and shellfish had the highest microplastic counts.
Where the plastic hides
Microplastics show up in almost everything you eat and drink. They come from plastic packaging, food processing equipment, and environmental contamination. But some foods carry much more than others.
What the research says
A 2025 review in J Hazard Mater compared microplastic levels across different food categories. The results were clear: bottled beverages and seafood had the highest microplastic counts. Salt, honey, and sugar also contained measurable particles, though at lower levels.
Bottled water picks up plastic fragments from PET bottles during storage. Shellfish filter large volumes of water and trap tiny plastic particles in their tissue. The review estimated people eat tens of thousands of microplastic particles per week from food alone.
What you can do
Drink tap water through a filter instead of buying bottled. Choose wild-caught smaller fish over shellfish when possible. Store food in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic. Cut back on heavily processed and packaged foods.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure to microplastics from food: Comparative analysis of food types and quantification techniques. | J Hazard Mater | 2025 |
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