11 shocking foods full of microplastics

do you ever feel like a plastic bag

Nat Friedman, ex-GitHub CEO and Billionaire, started Plastic List after concerns over Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in his food. He banded a team of 4 to test 300 food products. It took half a year and cost $500,000.

They detected plastic chemicals in 86% of the foods tested.

The most surprising finding to me was that Whole Foods Organic Grass Fed Steak is basically 99% microplastic, here’s an interesting theory why:

So, what even are microplastics?

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, less than 5 millimeters in size, that come from larger plastic debris.

The chemicals from these microplastics are used to make plastics softer, more flexible, or harder, depending on the use-case. Particularly chemicals like phthalates (used as softening agents) and BPA (used as hardening agents that line cans and other containers).

Microplastics act as a "vector" or carrier for these chemicals, meaning they adsorb these substances on their surfaces. When exposed to heat, or through processing equipment, these chemicals leach into our foods. They mimic or block hormones like estrogen and testosterone, leading to reduced fertility, developmental issues, and neurological effects.

Even newer "safer" alternatives like DEHT, introduced after traditional phthalates were banned, are now detected in most foods.

I scoured though the Plastic List to give you guys the ten most shocking foods chalk full of microplastics:

1. Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: Up to 1,704 ng/serving (12,171% of EFSA limit of 14 ng/serving)

  • DEHP: Up to 15,052 ng/serving

• Contamination Source: Mercury and phthalates seep into fish from ocean pollution. BPA leaches into the tuna from can linings and processing equipment.

• Health Risks: Reproductive abnormalities, neurodevelopmental damage, and increased risk of hormone-sensitive cancers.

2. Whole Foods Organic Boneless Beef Ribeye Steak Grass Fed

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: <144.5 ng/serving (1,032% of EFSA limit)

  • DEHP: <850 ng/serving (0.024% of EFSA limit)

• Contamination Source: Phthalates like DEHP contaminate the meat through industrial processing equipment. BPA leaches from vacuum-sealed packaging materials.

• Health Risks: Hormone-sensitive cancers and fertility issues.

3. Whole Foods Sourdough Bread

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: <1,230 ng/serving (8,786% of EFSA limit)

  • DEHP: <640 ng/serving

• Contamination Source: Packaging materials, commercial baking equiptment, processing residues

• Health Risks: Thyroid and overall hormonal disruption, metabolic effects, cardiovascular impacts

4. Almond Breeze Milk

• Chemicals Found:

  • Cyanide (from bitter almond contamination): Up to 143,700 µg/kg

  • Aflatoxins: Up to 4 µg/kg

  • DEHP: <450 ng/serving

• Contamination Source: Cyanide comes from bitter almond kernels that mix into production batches. Mold growth during storage contaminates the product with aflatoxins. DEHP leaches from plastic packaging during storage.

• Health Risks: Cyanide exposure causes severe toxicity, respiratory failure, or death. Aflatoxins are carcinogenic and linked to liver cancer. DEHP disrupts hormones and damages reproductive systems.

5. Sweetgreen Pesto Parm Salad

• Chemicals Found:

  • PFAS: 469 ppm in takeaway containers

• Contamination Source: PFAS chemicals leach into salads from compostable fiber bowls used for serving.

• Health Risks: PFAS exposure leads to kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid disorders, colitis, and immune system suppression.

6. Oatly Full-Fat Oat Milk

• Chemicals Found:

  • Glyphosate: Up to 14 ppb

  • Ochratoxin-A (OTA): Levels exceeding EFSA limits by more than 8%

• Contamination Source: Farmers spray glyphosate on oats before harvest as a desiccant. Mold growth during oat storage contaminates the product with OTA.

• Health Risks: Glyphosate exposure increases cancer risk and disrupts hormones. OTA causes kidney tumors and other cancers.

7. Gerber Baby Food

• Chemicals Found:

  • Arsenic: Up to 90 ppb (9x FDA limit)

  • Lead: Up to 48 ppb

  • Cadmium and Mercury: Detected at harmful levels

• Contamination Source: Crops absorb arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury from contaminated soil and water used in farming.

• Health Risks: Arsenic damages the central nervous system and causes neurodevelopmental delays. Lead exposure reduces IQ and causes cognitive impairment in children. Cadmium weakens the immune system, while mercury disrupts brain development and increases autism risk.

8. Boba Guys Black Tea Pearls

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: Levels exceeding annual safe consumption limits

  • DEHP: Detected in tapioca pearls

• Contamination Source: BPA leaches into tea from plastic cups and straws during serving. Tapioca pearls absorb DEHP during manufacturing.

• Health Risks: BPA disrupts hormones, leading to fertility problems and increased cancer risk. DEHP exposure damages reproductive health and interferes with endocrine function.

9. Annie’s Organic Mac & Cheese

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: Over 7,100% of EFSA’s 2023 TDI (0.2 ng/kg body weight/day) per serving.

  • Phthalates (DEHP/DINP): Detected in cheese powder and packaging.

• Contamination Source:

  • Phthalates seep into cheese powder from industrial processing equipment (conveyor belts, tubing) and plastic packaging ink. BPA leaches from plastic-lined packaging.

• Health Risks:

  • Linked to asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, neurodevelopmental disorders, and male fertility issues. Pregnant women and children face heightened risks19.

10. RXBAR Protein Bars

• Chemicals Found:

  • BPA: Up to 817% of EFSA limits (flavors like Blueberry/Strawberry).

  • DEHP: Detected in plastic wrappers.

• Contamination Source:

  • Plastic packaging leaches BPA and DEHP during storage. Almonds/dates may carry pesticide residues (e.g., Roundup, Imidacloprid).

• Health Risks:

  • Hormone disruption, reproductive toxicity, and neurodevelopmental harm. Pesticides linked to cancer and honeybee population collapse5.

11. Fiji Bottled Water

• Chemicals Found:

  • DEHP: Up to 283% of FDA limits (0.006 mg/L) in some samples.

  • Microplastics/BPA: Detected in "natural artesian water."

  • Manganese: Exceeds FDA limit (0.05 mg/L) in recalled batches.

• Contamination Source:

  • DEHP leaches from plastic bottles. Manganese contamination stems from groundwater mismanagement. Microplastics/BPA originate from packaging and environmental pollution6781112.

• Health Risks:

  • Reproductive abnormalities, endocrine disruption, Neurological damage (manganism), memory loss, motor skill impairment, Hormonal imbalances, cancer risk, heart disease

Paper Receipts (Honorable Mention)

BPS Levels: Off the charts at >2,500 ng per receipt (lab couldn’t measure higher).
While not a food item, handling receipts exposes you to bisphenol S (BPS), a common replacement for BPA that exhibits similar endocrine-disrupting properties.