Microplastics in your tea: A brewing health concern
Many people have already stopped cooking rice in bags, but until now, no one has suspected that tea bags might also contain microplastics that can enter the body. These unassuming packages release billions of pollutant particles per milliliter of tea. The Polish Press Agency reports the findings of research by scientists from Barcelona.
Researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona examined various types of products available in stores. Most often, tea leaves were packed in bags made of nylon, cellulose, and polypropylene. All these materials contain micro- and nanoplastics, which are absorbed in large quantities by cells in the intestines.
Food contamination with microplastics
The continuous growth in food production, ease of transport, and fast pace of life encourage both producers and consumers to use packaging that is easy and convenient to store and use. However, it's important to be aware that packaging in contact with food significantly affects its state and quality. Especially under high temperatures, the penetration of microplastic particles occurs.
Microplastic in tea bags
Standard tea bags contain very large amounts of microplastic, counted in billions of particles. Bags made of polypropylene release the most harmful substances – about 1.2 billion particles per milliliter of tea. There is much less microplastic in cellulose packaging: about 135 million, and in nylon, about 8 million particles. Scientists examined the quantity of micro- and nanoplastics and investigated how these substances interact with cells in the intestines.
How was the study conducted? Researchers from Barcelona dyed the microplastic particles and exposed them to different types of intestinal cells. It turned out that the highest level of microplastic particle absorption was shown by mucus-producing cells. The pollutants even penetrated the cell nuclei.
Do all tea bags contain microplastic?
Most products in supermarkets contain microplastic in the tea bags, but the market also offers bags made of cotton or paper, which are not contaminated. However, even in the case of paper or cotton bags, caution should be exercised.
Pay attention to the content of additional substances, dyes, bleaching agents, or chlorine. Natural products should have a quality certificate. Loose-leaf tea, brewed directly in a teapot or cup in ceramic or stainless steel infusers, is safe.
Advancements in food safety research
Spanish researchers emphasize the significant risks associated with microplastics and stress the importance of establishing uniform testing procedures to evaluate micro- and nanoplastic contamination from food-contact plastics. They also advocate for implementing legal measures to control and reduce this contamination effectively. With the growing reliance on plastic in food packaging, they argue that proactive steps are essential to safeguard food safety and public health.
