New Study Reveals Salt And Sugar Brands In India Contain Microplastics

A recent study conducted by the environmental research organisation Toxics Link found that Indian salt and sugar brands, whether packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics. Researchers found this after conducting lab tests on ten varieties of commonly used salts and five sugar samples purchased online and from local markets. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter. 

In the study titled “Microplastics in Salt and Sugar,"  the organisation reportedly said that the highest concentration of microplastics was found in a branded iodised packaged salt sample. It is to be noted that except for two salt samples and one sugar sample, all others tested by Toxics Link were branded. The salt samples included varieties such as table salt, rock salt, sea salt, and local raw salt. At the same time, The Indian Express reported that the study revealed the presence of microplastics in various forms, including fibre, pellets, films, and fragments. As per the report, the size of these microplastics ranged from 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and the highest levels of microplastics were found in iodised salt. 

The report mentioned that the concentration of microplastics in the salt samples ranged from 6.71 to 89.15 pieces per kilogramme of dry weight. In sugar samples, it ranged from 11.85 to 68.25 pieces per kilogramme. “Our study’s finding of substantial amounts of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples is concerning and calls for urgent, comprehensive research into the long-term health impacts of microplastics on human health," Toxics Link associate director Satish Sinha said, as quoted by The Indian Express.