Occurrence and evaluation of microplastics in honeys: Dietary intake and risk assessment

Abstract

In this study, the physical and chemical properties of microplastics in honey produced in Kosovo in 2024 were determined and evaluated using stereomicroscope and attenuated total reflectance/fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, respectively. All of the examined 28 honey samples were contaminated with microplastics. The detected microplastics were in the size range of 20−541 µm and had 2 different shapes (fiber and fragment), 7 different colors (black, blue, transparent, green, red, brown and purple), and 5 different polymer structures (EVA, PE, nylon-6, PET and PP). Microplastic intake from honey consumption was calculated as 136 ± 75 MPs/year. The mean microplastic diversity index, microplastic load index and polymer risk index levels of all the samples were found as 0.31 ± 0.25, 2.72 and 75 ± 62, respectively. This study provides evidence that microplastics are prevalent in honey. However, microplastic contamination and associated risk assessments were lower compared to studies in literature. The study also found some polymer species that may have negative effects on human health. New research should be conducted to reduce microplastic contamination in honey, which is generally accepted as a healthy food, and all stakeholders should act together.