Chewing Gum Identified as Potential Source of Microplastic Exposure

Plastic is ubiquitous in everyday life, and new research suggests that chewing gum may be an overlooked source of microplastic exposure. A preliminary study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring Meeting, reveals that each piece of chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles during chewing, which may be ingested by the human body.

The study examined five types of synthetic and five types of natural chewing gum, finding that both categories released similar amounts of microplastics. Common plastic components such as polyolefins and polyesters were detected in all samples. On average, chewing gum released about 100 microplastic particles per gram after four minutes of chewing, with some samples releasing up to 600 particles per gram. This means a 6-gram piece of gum could release as many as 3,000 particles. For individuals who chew 160 to 180 pieces per year, annual intake could exceed 30,000 microplastic particles.

Researchers noted that the majority of microplastics are released within the first two minutes of chewing, primarily due to mechanical friction rather than enzymatic breakdown by saliva. After eight minutes of chewing, up to 94% of the microplastics had already been released. Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that extending the chewing time of each piece of gum may help reduce exposure to microplastics.