Chewing Gum Found to Release Thousands of Microplastics into Saliva

UCLA researchers reveal that synthetic and natural gums shed similar amounts of microplastics, raising concerns about human ingestion and environmental pollution.

A UCLA study presented at the American Chemical Society's spring meeting shows chewing one piece of gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastic particles into saliva.
Both synthetic and natural gums release comparable amounts of microplastics, with most particles shed within the first two minutes of chewing.
Researchers estimate that regular gum chewers could ingest approximately 30,000 microplastics annually, adding to existing exposure from food, water, and air.
The study identified polymers such as polyolefins and polyethylene terephthalates in both gum types, highlighting a lack of transparency in product composition.
The health impacts of microplastic ingestion remain unclear, but researchers emphasize the need for further investigation and caution against improper gum disposal to reduce environmental pollution.

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