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Microplastic and PTFE contamination of food from cookware

Matthew Cole1, Alessio Gomiero2, Adrián Jaén-Gil2

  • 1Marine Ecology & Biodiversity, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK.

The Science of the Total Environment
|April 19, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Plastic cookware releases microplastics into food during preparation. Non-plastic cookware is a safer alternative, as new and old plastic items significantly contaminate food with microplastics annually.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Food Safety
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Microplastics are pervasive environmental contaminants found in human tissues.
  • Human exposure occurs through inhalation and ingestion of contaminated food and beverages.
  • Plastic and PTFE-coated cookware may leach microplastics during food preparation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate microplastic release from non-plastic, new plastic, and old plastic cookware.
  • To quantify microplastic contamination in food simulants prepared using different cookware types.
  • To estimate the annual contribution of cookware to microplastic ingestion.

Main Methods:

  • A food simulant (jelly) was prepared using non-plastic, new plastic, and old plastic cookware.
  • The simulant underwent simulated food preparation steps: heating, cooling, mixing, slicing, and storage.
  • Microplastic contamination in the simulant was analyzed using microscopy.

Main Results:

  • Non-plastic cookware did not introduce microplastics into the food simulant.
  • New and old plastic cookware significantly increased microplastic contamination.
  • Detected microplastics included PTFE, polyethylene, and polypropylene particles (13-318 μm).

Conclusions:

  • Plastic cookware, both new and old, is a source of microplastic contamination in home-prepared food.
  • Daily use of plastic cookware could contribute thousands of microplastics to the diet annually.
  • The health implications of ingesting microplastics from cookware remain undetermined.
Keywords:
ExposureFood contact materialsHumanPFASPlastic

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