Paris: A new study by the French food safety agency ANSES found that drinks sold in glass bottles contain significantly more microplastics than those in plastic bottles or cans, Agence France-Presse reported.
According to the study report, glass bottles contain around 100 microplastic particles per litre on average, which is 50 times more than plastic or metal containers.
The study, published in the Journal of Food Consumption and Analysis, said that these plastics come from the caps of the bottles which store the consumable item. The research team found that the paint from the caps sheds microscopic plastic particles, which is likely due to friction between caps during storage.
Furthermore, the team found that flat and sparkling water showed relatively low levels of microplastic presence across all packaging types. Here, 4.5 particles per litre are noted in glass bottles, while 1.6 particles per litre in plastic ones. However, ANSES says that the reason behind this is unclear.
The team noted that drinks like soft drinks, lemonade and beer house higher microplastic counts ranging from 30 to 60 particles per litre. This could be because these beverages are commonly sealed with painted caps, which contributes to the said contamination.
ANSES states that currently, there are no global standards for levels of microplastic contamination in food or drink, which causes health threats. Therefore, according to the agency, it is not clear if the newly found figure will affect health.
The agency, however, suggests cleaning the caps with air, water and alcohol so that the contamination could be reduced by 60 per cent.