The microplastics They are everywhere around us (and unfortunately also within us), direct consequence of our reckless consumption and the abuse of plastic materials that characterizes our era. But what recently discovered the laboratory boulogne-sur-mer unit ANSES FOR FOOD SAFETY It makes you think: these invisible particles do not only hide in plastic packaging as we would expect, but even infiltrate the drinks preserved in glass bottles. A revelation that shows how this silent contamination is much more pervasive and insidious than we ever imagined.
The research analyzed the presence of microplastics in different non -alcoholic and alcoholic beverages for sale in France, discovering – against all expectations – that those preserved in glass bottles contain more microplastic than those sold in plastic containers, cardboard or can.
The results of the study
The main objective of the research was to determine the presence and quantity of microplastics in drinks such as natural and sparkling water, carbonated drinks, cold tea, wine and beer, also evaluating the impact of the type of container on the level of contamination.
As already anticipated, the most surprising result emerged from the drinks contained in glass bottles: on average, cola, lemonade, cold tea and beer had about 100 microplastic particles per liter, a value from 5 to 50 times higher than the drinks preserved in plastic containers or metal cans.
ISELIN CHAïB, Dottorda who led the study, commented:
We expected the opposite result, considering the spread of the belief that the glass is the safest container.
In the case of water, natural or sparkling, the level of microplastics was relatively low, regardless of the container used. The glass bottles contained on average 4.5 particles per liter, while plastic and cartoons had about 1.6 particles per liter. Even the wine, generally preserved in glass bottles with a cork, showed a low presence of microplastics.
The reasons for these differences in the levels of contamination remain to be deepened, except for the glass bottle drinks with a metal cap, which seem to be an evident source of microplastics.
Because the glass can also be contaminated by microplastics
But where do the microplastics we find in the glass come from? To find out, the ANSES researchers conducted a series of targeted experiments. The main suspicion fell on metal caps And, in particular, on the paint that covers them.
To test this hypothesis, they created three different controlled scenarios: in all cases the bottles had been filled with filtered water, without any initial contamination. In the first scenario, the caps were used as they were, without any treatment. In the second, before closing, they were blowing with compressed air. In the third, the caps were first blown and then rinsed with filtered water and alcohol.
The results were illuminating: when the caps were not clean, 287 microplasty particles per liter of water were found on average. This value drastically lowered to 106 particles per liter simply by blowing air on the caps. But the best result was achieved by combining the breath of air and rinse, which reduced the presence of microplastics to 87 particles per liter.
In short, the conclusion was clear: the friction between the caps during the conservation and handling phase before bottling can cause microscopic scratches in the coating paint. These microdanni release invisible fragments that then end up in drinks at the time of closing.
A discovery that, however disturbing, opens the way to simple but effective solutions to reduce exposure. It would be enough to adopt more accurate cleaning practices before sealing the bottles or rethinking the materials used in the covering of the caps.
How to reduce contamination
To limit the contamination of microplastics in the drinks packaged in glass bottles, producers could adopt some practical strategies, including:
The ANSES study highlights a source of microplastics in the drinks underestimated so far, but the positive data is that this contamination can be significantly reduced with simple targeted interventions. At the moment, we do not yet have certain toxicological data on the effect of these levels of microplastics on human health, therefore further in -depth studies are needed to fully understand the risks.
