You won’t believe how much plastic you eat every single day—no, really. In this episode of Packaging Today, we break down two groundbreaking studies exposing the micro- and nanoplastics that contaminate your food through normal packaging use.
From chopping boards to bottle caps, deli wraps to canned fish—plastic is shedding into our meals more than ever. But what’s really new here? And how does it compare to everything we’ve already feared?
We’ll discuss:
New research from the Food Packaging Forum and CNN Health revealing how simply opening packaging can release microplastics into food.
How nanoplastics are found in your brain, blood, liver, and even placenta—yes, really.
What foods could eliminate plastic packaging entirely (and what tradeoffs consumers would have to accept—like giving up canned convenience, embracing short shelf life, or risking a little botulism…).
How ultra-processed foods increase exposure compared to whole foods.
Why washing, heating, and reusing plastic makes it worse.
💥 Highlight: One study found that just two plastic water bottles can contain over 240,000 plastic particles, 90% of which are nanoplastics. [CNN Health]
💡 We'll also unpack the argument that no individual can avoid this alone—it’ll take systemic change and real government action.
