April 10, 2025 – In today’s fast – paced life, takeout has become a convenient choice for many “working people” to solve their three meals a day. However, while enjoying the convenience of takeout, people often overlook the hidden health hazards. Besides the commonly criticized issues of high – oil, high – salt, and low – vegetable content in takeout food, the microplastics hidden in the plastic tableware used to package the food are quietly emerging as a new “killer” threatening health.
Microplastics, a term perhaps somewhat unfamiliar to many, are actually a type of new pollutant. They refer to plastic particles with a diameter less than 5 millimeters, and those even smaller, with a diameter less than 1 micron, are called nanoplastics. In daily life, numerous plastic products we come into contact with will decompose into microplastic particles to varying degrees under the action of the natural environment. Disposable plastic tableware, due to its low – cost advantage, is widely used in the takeout industry. From common plastic lunch boxes to plastic spoons, plastic gloves, and even plastic wrap, plastic appears in various forms in the packaging and tableware of takeout food. Due to the diversity of usage scenarios, the types of plastics we encounter in takeout are also quite complex, with polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), etc. being quite common. It is worth noting that during the use of these plastic tableware, more microplastic particles will be gradually released over time and with the increase in temperature.
According to AsiaMB, relevant research shows that if one consumes takeout food 4 to 7 times a week, they may ingest 12 to 203 microplastic particles. These microplastics released from plastic tableware will enter the human body along with the food, bringing potential risks to health. Moreover, bottled water, which is commonly seen on the dining table, is also a major source of microplastic intake. A 2023 study showed that in four brands of bottled water from local supermarkets in Norway, an average of 1.66×10⁸ nanoplastics particles were detected per milliliter of water. Also, some behaviors in daily life can increase the intake of microplastics. For example, heating food together with its plastic packaging. A US study found that plastic food packaging releases more microplastic particles when heated in a microwave oven compared to storage at room temperature. Some infants and young children have the habit of biting plastic toys, which may also cause them to ingest microplastics. Researchers detected microplastic particles in the meconium and feces of infants, confirming that baby bottles, plastic toys, etc. may be the routes for babies to ingest microplastics.
The sources of microplastics are far from limited to the plastic products we come into contact with in daily life. The environment we live in is also an important source. A large amount of plastic waste discarded in the natural environment will release a large number of microplastic particles under the influence of wind, sun, and rain, and spread to the air and the ocean with the help of wind and water flow. The plastic microbeads in some cleaning products and cosmetics, as well as the fiber debris shed when washing clothes, will also be discharged into water bodies through sewage pipes. Microplastic particles in the air can be directly inhaled by people and enter the human body through the respiratory tract. A study by Sun Yat – sen University found microplastic particles in the alveolar lavage fluid of 18 non – smokers, confirming that air is one of the sources of microplastics in the human body. And the microplastics in water sources may not only be directly drunk by us but also ingested by plankton, fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish, and finally enter the human body through the food chain.
Microplastics do not just “pass through” the gastrointestinal tract. Small enough microplastic particles can be absorbed into the blood through the mucosa and then flow to various organs of the body with the blood. Multiple studies have confirmed the presence of microplastics in parts of the human body such as blood, joints, arteries, and liver. A study in Beijing detected four types of microplastics in human artery samples: PET (73.70%), PA – 66 (15.54%), PVC (9.69%), and PE (1.07%). Among them, PET is commonly used to make mineral water bottles, PA – 66 is mostly used as a raw material for synthetic fiber clothing, and PVC and PE are often used to make plastic bags and food packaging. This study further clarified the sources of microplastics in the human body.
Although there is currently no direct evidence that microplastics can directly cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, they are likely to be potential risk factors for such diseases. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024 showed that among patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy, the probability of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with detected microplastic particles was significantly higher than that in patients without detection, revealing the potential association between microplastics and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Data from animal studies show that microplastics can act as carriers of heavy metals, triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in endothelial cells and other vascular cells, thus damaging the blood vessel wall. Another study fed chickens with water and food containing microplastic particles for 6 weeks. After dissecting the chicken brain slices, it was found that there were more bleeding foci and microthrombi in the brains of chickens fed with microplastics, which means that ingesting microplastics may increase the risk of cerebrovascular diseases. In addition, microplastics can also affect the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by influencing thrombosis formation, blood lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis.
Since microplastics may increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, how can we reduce the intake of microplastics? Although it is difficult to eliminate microplastics in the environment, we can still reduce the intake by changing our lifestyle. First of all, when ordering takeout, try to choose merchants that use starch or paper tableware. With the improvement of environmental awareness, more and more merchants use paper tableware or compressed starch tableware. Choosing takeout from such merchants can not only enjoy the convenience but also reduce the intake of microplastics. Secondly, reduce the frequency of drinking bottled water. Bottled water is an important source of microplastic particles, and reducing its consumption can effectively reduce the intake of microplastics. Furthermore, use plastic products correctly and avoid behaviors such as heating food together with its packaging and using plastic bags to hold high – temperature food to reduce the release of microplastics. Finally, strengthen environmental awareness, properly dispose of plastic waste, and try to reduce the use of plastic products to reduce the microplastics released by plastic waste in nature. This is not only to protect nature but also to safeguard our own health.