Ethan Clarke
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, especially in oceanic habitats. Microplastics have been discovered in a variety of human foods, including table salt, which is a staple in every household. Recent studies have revealed the presence of microplastics in table salt, with one study finding that 94% of salt products tested worldwide contained microplastics. The impact of ingesting microplastics on human health is still unknown, but it is important to understand their origins and how to reduce exposure to protect our health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of table salt products tested worldwide containing microplastics | 94% |
| Number of polymer types accounting for the majority of particles | 3 out of 27 |
| Mean number of microplastic particles/kg of table salt | 140.2 |
| Mean annual salt consumption | 3.75 kg/year |
| Number of microplastic particles ingested annually from salt alone | Several hundred |
| Region with the highest quantities of microplastics in salt | Indonesia |
| Number of microplastic particles ingested annually by an average adult through salt | 2,000 |
| Number of microplastic particles ingested annually by a person consuming Chinese sea salt at the maximal salt dose recommended by the World Health Organization | 1,000 |
| Number of microplastic particles/lb of sea salt | 250 |
| Number of microplastic particles/lb of salt sourced from briny lakes, briny wells, and salt mines | 3-165 |
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What You'll Learn
Microplastics found in 90% of table salt
Plastic pollution is a rapidly worsening environmental problem, especially in oceanic habitats. As a result, human food is becoming increasingly contaminated with microplastics. Salt, a universal household staple, is no exception.
A new study found microplastics in 90% of sea, rock, and lake salt sold worldwide. The highest quantities of microplastics were found in salt sold in Indonesia. Asia is a hotspot for plastic pollution, with Indonesia ranking as the second-worst affected country in an unrelated 2015 study. Microplastics levels were highest in sea salt, followed by lake salt, and then rock salt.
The study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt. If a person were to consume Chinese sea salt at the maximum salt dose recommended by the World Health Organization, they would ingest about 1,000 plastic microparticles annually. This is still less than the estimated 11,000 particles of microplastic ingested annually in Europe through shellfish consumption.
The health impact of ingesting plastic is not yet known. Scientists have struggled to research the impact of plastic on the human body as there is no control group of humans who have not been exposed to plastic pollution. However, detectable levels of the plastic bisphenol A have been found in the urine of 95% of the adult population of the United States. Microplastics have been detected in human tissues, and they can bio-accumulate, meaning they are not fully excreted and can accumulate in various tissues.
The presence of microplastics in salt is believed to be due to environmental contamination. Bits of plastic might abrade from larger objects, such as water bottles dumped in the water, or they might come from cosmetic products that use plastic microbeads as exfoliants. Other points of entry for plastic contamination include salt processing, drying, and packaging.
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Plastic pollution in oceanic habitats
The impact of plastic pollution on marine life is devastating. Research indicates that half of the sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic, and hundreds of thousands of seabirds ingest plastic every year. Plastic ingestion can lead to starvation as it reduces the storage volume of the stomach. Marine mammals, such as whale sharks, are also threatened by ingesting small pieces of plastic. Large amounts of plastic debris have been found in the habitats of critically endangered species, such as Hawaiian monk seals.
The presence of plastic in oceanic habitats is a growing concern, with plastic production and waste generation increasing exponentially. Global plastic production has reached about 335 million tons, and only about 9-10% of plastic is currently being recycled. The rest is incinerated or ends up in our oceans and the environment. As a result, plastic pollution in oceanic habitats is a critical issue that requires urgent action to address its devastating impacts on marine life and ecosystems and the climate.
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Microplastics in human food and beverages
Plastic pollution is a rapidly worsening environmental problem, especially in oceanic habitats. As a result, human food and beverages are increasingly being contaminated by microplastics. One study found that 94% of salt products tested worldwide contained microplastics, with the average person consuming approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt alone. Sea salt sourced from the ocean has been found to contain the highest levels of microplastics, with the highest quantities of microplastics found in salt sold in Indonesia. This is due to Asia being a hotspot for plastic pollution, with Indonesia having 34,000 miles of coastline.
Microplastics have also been found in other human foods and beverages such as beer, drinking water, honey, seafood, and sugar. The health impact of ingesting microplastics is not yet known, as there have been no studies explicitly investigating microplastic ingestion in the human body. However, detectable levels of the plastic bisphenol A have been found in the urine of 95% of the adult population of the United States. Microplastics can bio-accumulate, meaning they are not fully excreted and can accumulate in various tissues, as shown in marine species and, more recently, in human tissues.
Some brands of salt have been found to contain lower levels of microplastics. Redmond's Real Salt, sourced from an ancient salt deposit in Utah, has some of the lowest levels of microplastics. Jacobson Salt Co., sourced from the Oregon Coast, claims to filter out microplastic particles with 0.5-5-micron filters. However, a recent study showed that one brand of Himalayan Rock Salt, sourced from Pakistan, contained some of the highest levels of microplastics, possibly due to processing and packaging methods.
While the health effects of microplastics are still unknown, it is important to understand their origins and how to mitigate exposure to protect human health.
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Health impact of ingesting plastic
Plastic pollution is a rapidly worsening environmental problem, especially in oceanic habitats. Microplastics, tiny particles of plastic less than 5 millimetres in size, have infiltrated our oceans, soil, and even the air we breathe. They have also been found in various human foods, including table salt. A global review of microplastic contamination of table salts found that 94% of salt products tested worldwide contained microplastics, with the average annual salt consumption resulting in the ingestion of several hundred microplastic particles from salt alone. Another study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.
The health impact of ingesting plastic is not yet fully understood. While there is limited evidence to suggest that microplastics are causing significant adverse health impacts, the weight of the current evidence is low, and more holistic research is needed to obtain an accurate assessment of exposure to microplastics and their potential impacts on human health. Laboratory tests have shown that microplastics can cause damage to human cells, including allergic reactions and cell death, but there is a lack of epidemiologic studies documenting the effects of microplastics on large groups of people.
One challenge in studying the health impact of ingesting plastic is the ubiquity of plastic pollution, making it difficult to find a control group of humans who have not been exposed. Additionally, the impact of microplastics may be more subtle than previously thought, as an Australian study found that quail chicks fed toxins from plastics experienced minor delays in growth and maturation but did not have an increased likelihood of getting sick, dying, or having trouble reproducing.
While the full extent of the health impact of ingesting plastic may not be known, there is evidence that different chemicals can leach from plastics and enter our bodies, with potential links to serious health issues such as endocrine disruption, weight gain, insulin resistance, and decreased reproductive health. Phthalates, for example, are plasticizers that can migrate into the air, food, and people, including babies in their mother's wombs, and have been linked to adverse health outcomes such as cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, and developmental and reproductive effects.
The presence of microplastics in table salt is a reminder that plastic pollution is pervasive in the environment and that measures should be taken to mitigate exposure and reduce plastic usage to protect human health and the planet.
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Plastic contamination in salt production
Salt production methods can play a role in the level of plastic contamination. Sea salt, for example, is produced by evaporating seawater, which can contain plastic pollutants. A study in Taiwan detected an average of 9.77 microplastic particles per kilogram of salt, with higher counts found in Asia, particularly Indonesia. Other studies have found microplastics in salt from the US, Europe, China, the UK, France, Spain, and Malaysia, indicating a global prevalence of plastic pollution.
The types of plastic particles found in salt vary, with polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene being the most common. These polymers are commonly used in single-use plastics and microfibres, which contribute significantly to plastic waste. The presence of microplastics in salt is not limited to sea salt; lake salt and rock salt have also been found to contain microplastics, albeit at lower levels.
The contamination of salt with microplastics can occur through various sources, including atmospheric deposition of airborne microplastics, mechanical breakage during manufacturing, and plastic waste in freshwater sources or industrial activities. The omnipresence of microplastics in the environment and their persistence in marine ecosystems due to buoyancy and low sedimentation rates make them a pervasive pollutant that is challenging to mitigate.
Addressing plastic contamination in salt production requires a multifaceted approach. Reducing plastic consumption and improving recycling efforts are essential steps to curb the growing plastic pollution crisis. Additionally, further research is needed to fully understand the health implications of ingesting microplastics and to develop effective strategies for mitigating their presence in salt and other food sources.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, microplastics have been found in table salt.
A study found that 94% of salt products tested worldwide contained microplastics, with an average of 140.2 microplastic particles/kg. Another study found that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.
Microplastics enter table salt through environmental contamination. Human-consumed sea salt and lake salt are produced through a crystallization process where seawater or brine is evaporated by heat and wind. Pollutants in these waters, including microplastics, end up in the final product.
A study of 39 salt brands sold in 21 countries found microplastics in 36 of them. The three brands that did not contain microplastics were from France, Taiwan, and China. However, another study found plastic in all 21 types of table salt tested.
The health effects of ingesting microplastics are not yet fully understood. While detectable levels of the plastic bisphenol A have been found in the urine of 95% of the adult population of the United States, there is currently no clear effect on human health due to a lack of studies on the subject.
