Chewing gum isn’t necessarily the healthiest of habits, but it certainly seemed like a relatively harmless vice… until now. A new study shows that just one piece of chewing gum can shed thousands of microplastics into your saliva1.
At this point, it would be easier to make a list of places microplastics aren’t. Scientists have found these tiny particles of plastic everywhere from oceans to ice caps2, in the leaves of plants and the air we breathe, and of course, in our bodies. Microplastics have been detected in amniotic fluid3, blood4, and even in our brains.
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While some sources of microplastic contamination are obvious, like plastic bottles and packaging, scientists have also found that something as simple as the teabag in your morning cuppa could increase your exposure. And now, we can add chewing gum to the list of surprising sources of microplastics.
New Research Shows Chewing Gum is Riddled with Plastic
Researchers from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering recently tested 10 popular brands of chewing gum, finding that a single gram could release an average of 100 microplastics into the chewer’s saliva. Larger pieces of gum were found to release up to 3,000 plastic particles — 94% of which were released during the first eight minutes of chewing.
While these results sound pretty shocking, they’re no surprise if you actually consider what goes into this seemingly harmless treat: a less-than-innocent ingredient called polyethylene.
What Is Polyethylene?
Polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer that’s known for its versatility. It’s light, cheap to produce, and has some seriously handy qualities — it’s resistant to chemicals and moisture, and has electrical insulation properties.
Manufacturers make great use of this versatility, taking advantage of it in everything from shopping bags to bottles of detergent and automobile fuel tanks. It’s also used in Ziploc bags, which a proposed class-action lawsuit is currently alleging should not be microwaved or frozen due to the possible release of microplastics. In fact, it’s the most widely used plastic in the world5. But what business does it have in our chewing gum?
Unfortunately, most gum brands rely on polyethylene to help contribute to the product’s chewy texture. And it’s not just synthetic gum we need to be worried about — all-natural brands are guilty of releasing plastic, too. The UCLA researchers tested both synthetic and natural chewing gums, finding that a similar number of plastic particles were released regardless of the type of gum.
Other potential plastics in chewing gum include polyvinyl acetate, which is a common ingredient in glue and mascara, or styrene-butadiene rubber, which you’ll find in tires. (Delicious, no?)
The pervasiveness of microplastics is worrisome for more reasons than one. Plastics are made with a combination of polymers and chemical additives, some of which can have devastating effects on the environment and our planet’s delicate ecosystems6. Microplastics are also hazardous to human health, with potential negative effects on respiratory function and hormone health. Microplastic exposure can even increase the risk of developing cancer, according to a 2023 research review in Yonsei Medical Journal7.
While microplastics are hard to avoid these days, there are still certain steps consumers can take to reduce exposure as much as possible (spoiler: microplastics in gum probably aren’t the worst offender). Reducing reliance on plastic storage containers and utensils is one great way to keep from adding more plastic into your life, and so is cutting back on everything from plastic water bottles to PTFE nonstick cookware.
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Sources:
- https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/bursting-your-bubble-chewing-gum-releases-microplastics-into-your-saliva-ucla-research-shows
- https://www.innovations-report.com/agriculture-environment/ecology-the-environment-and-conservation/microplastics-found-in-europes-largest-ice-cap/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38382607/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-81931-9
- https://www.britannica.com/science/polyethylene
- https://ipen.org/site/plastics-toxic-additives
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151227/
