{"id":90073,"date":"2026-04-14T08:46:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T06:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/?p=90073"},"modified":"2026-04-14T08:52:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T06:52:25","slug":"microplastics-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/microplastics-food\/","title":{"rendered":"The impact of microplastics on our food: should we be concerned?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Over the past few years, microplastics have become a prominent topic in discussions regarding health and the environment. These tiny fragments of plastic are everywhere: in the air, in water and, most worryingly, in our food. But how do they really affect us? Is it time to rethink our diet?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>What are microplastics and how do they end up in our food?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Microplastics are plastic pieces measuring less than 5 mm in diameter. They are classified as primary (manufactured for use in products such as cosmetics and detergents) and secondary (resulting from the degradation of larger plastics).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Since they are not biodegradable, they only break down into smaller pieces,<\/strong> which are then ingested or inhaled by many organisms and lodged in their tissues. Its presence in the food chain is a direct consequence of environmental pollution. <strong>They have been detected in<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sea salt, due to ocean pollution.<\/li>\n<li>Fish and shellfish, as they ingest them from the water.<\/li>\n<li>Bottled and tap water, due to contact with pipes and containers.<\/li>\n<li>Fruit and vegetables, through irrigation with contaminated water.<\/li>\n<li>Processed foods, due to the use of plastic packaging in their production.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>How do they affect our health?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although their exact impact is still unknown, <strong>studies suggest that they may have negative effects<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Inflammation and cellular toxicity due to the accumulation of particles in the body.<\/li>\n<li>Disruptions in the endocrine system caused by the presence of endocrine disruptors (chemical substances capable of altering hormonal balance).<\/li>\n<li>Oxidative stress, which contributes to cellular ageing and chronic diseases.<\/li>\n<li>Digestive disorders caused by the accumulation of chemicals in the gastrointestinal tract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Furthermore, <strong>some microplastics may contain toxic substances<\/strong>, such as heavy metals or chemical compounds that are released over time, increasing the risk of metabolic and neurological diseases.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Should we change our diet?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While it is difficult to completely avoid exposure, there are strategies that can help <strong>reduce exposure<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prioritise the consumption of fresh foods and avoid plastic packaging for storage.<\/li>\n<li>Do not heat up food in plastic containers, as the heat releases harmful chemicals.<\/li>\n<li>Filter tap water to minimise the presence of particles.<\/li>\n<li>Opt for fish and seafood from controlled sources and avoid species with high levels of contamination.<\/li>\n<li>Reduce consumption of ultra-processed products, which are often in prolonged contact with plastics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Should we be worried?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While further research is needed to fully understand the long-term health effects, reducing exposure is a wise decision. Plastic pollution is a <strong>growing problem<\/strong> and its impact should not be underestimated.<\/p>\n<p>There are currently lines of research based on the possible biological degradation of plastics through microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, which could reduce pollution in the future.<\/p>\n<p>For now, we recommend adopting healthier habits, prioritising a healthy diet and reducing the use of plastics in your daily life. The key lies in prevention and making informed decisions. <strong>Small changes can make a big difference, <\/strong>both to our health and to that of the planet.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Dr. Evelyn Jardim Da Silva<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Radiology<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Policl\u00ednica ALEN<\/p>\n<h6><strong><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/insurance\/health-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ASSSA Health Insurance<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6><em>The information published in this media neither substitutes nor complements in any way the direct supervision of a doctor, his diagnosis or the treatment that he may prescribe. It should also not be used for self-diagnosis.<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>The exclusive responsibility for the use of this service lies with the reader.<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>ASSSA advises you to always consult your doctor about any issue concerning your health.<\/em><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the past few years, microplastics have become a prominent topic in discussions regarding health and the environment. These tiny fragments of plastic are everywhere: in the air, in water and, most worryingly, in our food. But how do they really affect us? Is it time to rethink our diet?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":90074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The impact of microplastics on our food: should we be concerned? - ASSSA English<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Over the past few years, microplastics have become a prominent topic in discussions regarding health and the environment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/microplastics-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The impact of microplastics on our food: should we be concerned? 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