Overview
- University of Birmingham scientists, writing in Science of the Total Environment, detected microplastic particles in every beverage sample they analyzed from UK supermarkets.
- Hot tea contained 49–81 particles per liter and hot coffee 29–57 particles per liter, with markedly lower levels measured in their chilled counterparts.
- The study points to temperature and product formats as contributors, reporting that teabags released more particles, with premium options shedding more than cheaper ones.
- Sampling covered hot and cold tea and coffee, fruit juices, soft drinks and energy drinks, with reported ranges including iced tea at 24–38, iced coffee at 31–43, fruit juice at 19–41, energy drinks at 14–36 and soft drinks at 13–21 particles per liter.
- The authors call for legislation, larger standardized exposure studies and alternatives to plastic, noting broader concerns highlighted by a March study reporting roughly 50% higher microplastic concentrations in human brains since 2016.