Many consumers believe that seafood contains a higher level of microplastics compared to other foods. But a recent paper from Heriot-Watt University shows that this is a misperception.

70% of the research and media coverage of microplastics in food has involved seafood. This led people to believe that they are at a greater risk of consuming microplastics from seafood rather than from any other sources. Professor Ted Henry from Heriot-Watt’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society said:

“Seafood, including mussels and oysters and finfish like salmon and cod, may contribute 1—10 microplastic particles per day, which is consistent with other foods, like salt, honey and chicken. Ingestion from bottled water is estimated at 10—100 particles per day, and exposure from indoor air accounts for considerably higher exposure: 100—1000 particles per day.

“There is minimal evidence that they pose a health risk. The evidence we do have indicates that plastic particles readily pass through the digestive tract and exit the body.”

The 4 key messages in the paper are:

1. Microplastics are everywhere, but the health risks are often misunderstood

Microplastics were originally discovered in the marine environment. We now know that they are found everywhere in the environment. The way people think about their impact on health is often shaped by media stories that don’t always reflect solid scientific evidence.

️2. Eating plastic particles isn’t as risky as it sounds

There’s very little proof that the small amounts of plastic we might eat in food are harmful. Seafood gets a lot of attention, but it’s no more affected than other foods. Because microplastics are in dust and in the air, we actually breathe in more plastic indoors than we eat.

3. Plastics contain many chemicals, but they’re present in tiny amounts

Plastics are made with many different substances, and they can pick up more from the environment. However, the levels of these chemicals in the plastic particles are extremely low. Studying their effects is important, but it’s a separate issue from plastic in food.

4. Overstated fears may be doing more harm than good

Media coverage has exaggerated the health risks of plastic in food, especially seafood. This has led some people to avoid seafood, causing them to miss out on its proven health benefits.

See also the press release from Heriot-Watt University.