Is plastic food wrapping bad for you?

Here’s a sobering thought: Much of the food you’ve eaten today was wrapped in plastic at some point on its journey to your plate. 

Plastic may indeed keep your food fresh, safe and blemish-free as it journeys through the supply chain. But a growing body of evidence suggests that plastic on and in your food may negatively impact your health.

Are there microplastics in food?

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles smaller than five millimeters in size, and scientists have found them everywhere they’ve looked. Microplastics have been found in household dust, human blood, Antarctic sea ice, and even atop Mount Everest. They are also lurking in a wide sampling of food and beverages including fruits and vegetables, tea, bottled water, animal meats, plant-based proteins and even table salt. 

Microplastics are small but mighty, and not in a good way. Studies suggest they may interfere with normal organ function; their presence correlates with weakened gut health, too. Perhaps most concerning, microplastics in the carotid artery may increase heart attack risk.

What are plasticizers?

Plastic food packaging poses additional threats in the form of plasticizers. 

Makers may add chemicals, or plasticizers, during the manufacturing process. Whereas some plasticizers add color, others enhance an item’s flexibility or durability.

Phthalates and bisphenols are plasticizers of special concern. Whereas bisphenols like BPA create hard plastics, phthalates are relied upon to make plastic wrap and other pliable plastic products. Despite their different uses, both groups of chemicals may interfere with normal hormone function and influence fertility, weight and learning.

A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to bisphenols and phthalates is especially concerning for babies and toddlers, as they have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity across their lifespans.

Is plastic food wrapping bad for you?

Emerging evidence suggests that plastic wrap on food may negatively impact your health. These five at-home strategies can reduce your exposure to microplastics and plasticizers: 

• Keep plastic away from sources of heat.

Have a container that’s “microwave safe”? Be wary. Heating plastic stresses plastic, so it’s best to remove food and drink before microwaving to reduce the chances that plasticizers leach into your food. Microplastics, too, may migrate into hot food or drink, so opt for glass, stainless steel or ceramic containers.

• Avoid the worst offenders. 

Steer clear of plastic containers labeled 3 for phthalates and 7 for bisphenols. While you’re at it, avoid styrene, too, which is found in Styrofoam and is “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen. 

• Enact sensible swaps. 

Addressing the health effects of plastic wrap starts with acknowledging that phthalates give the wrap its notorious flexibility. Swapping out plastic wrap can be as simple as placing an inverted plate atop your leftovers; beeswax wraps and silicone covers are plastic-free options, too.

• Use plastic discriminately. 

Don’t put fatty foods like meat and cheese in plastic; don’t store acidic foods like tomato sauce or orange juice in plastic, either, as these food items are especially prone to absorbing phthalates. And if you have a plastic container that’s showing signs of wear-and-tear, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Go ahead and toss it.

• Prioritize whole, fresh foods in your diet. 

Healthy diets matter. Highly processed foods like fish sticks and chicken nuggets contain significantly more microplastics than minimally processed items, and people who consume fewer processed, packaged foods tend to have lower urinary concentrations of BPA and phthalates.

One more thing: Use your voice.

The world produces nearly half a billion tons of plastic each year, and this figure has more than doubled in the past two decades. 

You can’t fully insulate yourself from the health effects of plastic without the buy-in of food distributors. If plastic on and in our food supply concerns you, here’s one thing you can do right now: Tell Sysco, the largest food distributor, to reduce their use of plastic packaging. 

Sysco’s shareholders overwhelmingly voted to reduce their use of plastic in the past but many of their food and beverage options are still packaged in plastic. It would leave lasting effects on the marketplace if the company committed to reducing plastic packaging.

PIRG is calling on Sysco’s CEO to direct the company to commit to reduce its plastic use. Use your voice and tell Sysco to phase out wasteful plastic packaging throughout its supply chain now.