A pilot study has found that chewing gum, both natural and synthetic, releases microplastics into saliva, potentially leading to ingestion. Researchers at UCLA discovered that each piece of gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics, with a person potentially ingesting around 30,000 microplastics annually from chewing gum. While the health risks of microplastics are still uncertain, the study suggests chewing gum for longer periods may reduce exposure. The findings also highlight the environmental impact of improperly discarded gum. According to a release by the American Chemical Society:
Plastic is everywhere. And many products we use in everyday life, such as cutting boards, clothes and cleaning sponges, can expose people to tiny, micrometer-wide plastic particles called microplastics. Now, chewing gum could be added to the list. In a pilot study, researchers found that chewing gum can release hundreds to thousands of microplastics per piece into saliva and potentially be ingested.
The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2025 is being held March 23-27; it features about 12,000 presentations on a range of science topics. […]
Scientists estimate that humans consume tens of thousands of microplastics (between 1 micrometer- and 5 millimeters-wide) every year through foods, drinks, plastic packaging, coatings, and production or manufacturing processes. Yet, chewing gum as a potential source of microplastics hasn’t been widely studied, despite the candy’s worldwide popularity. So, Mohanty and a graduate student in his lab, Lisa Lowe, wanted to identify how many microplastics a person could potentially ingest from chewing natural and synthetic gums.
Chewing gums are made from a rubbery base, sweetener, flavorings and other ingredients. Natural gum products use a plant-based polymer, such as chicle or other tree sap, to achieve the right chewiness, while other products use synthetic rubber bases from petroleum-based polymers. […]
Most of the microplastics detached from gum within the first 2 minutes of chewing. But Mohanty says they weren’t released because of enzymes in saliva breaking them down. Rather, the act of chewing is abrasive enough to make pieces flake off. And after 8 minutes of chewing, 94% of the plastic particles collected during the tests had been released. Therefore, Lowe suggests that if people want to reduce their potential exposure to microplastics from gum, they chew one piece longer instead of popping in a new one.
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