Microplastics in drinks in glass bottles
In a survey published in 2025 by a research team at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), glass-bottled cola, lemonade, iced tea and beer contained more microplastics than the same drinks in plastic bottles or cans. From the color and material of the particles, the source is thought to be the paint on the outside of the metal caps.
Amounts found in studies
| Study | What was tested | Size range and method | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaïb et al. (2025, ANSES) cola | 1 brand, 6 bottles per container type | 0.03–0.5 mm, identified by FTIR, with blank and recovery tests | Per L: glass bottle 103.4 particles, plastic bottle 2.1, can 3.4 |
| Same, lemonade | Same as above | Same as above | Glass bottle 111.6, plastic bottle 1.5, can 10.9 |
| Same, iced tea | Same as above | Same as above | Glass bottle 86.3, plastic bottle 2.2, can 16.3 |
| Same, beer | Same as above | Same as above | Small bottle 133.7, large bottle 32.8, can 31.8 |
| Same, water and wine | Same as above | Same as above | Water: glass bottle 4.5, plastic bottle 1.6. Wine in cork-stoppered glass bottles was low at 5.3, and cartons were the highest at 30.0 |
| Same, cap experiment | 0.33 L cola bottles, new caps | 10 bottles each | As is: 287.3 → after blowing air: 105.8 → blowing air plus rinsing: 86.7 |
Results can differ by orders of magnitude depending on the smallest particle size counted and whether particles are counted or weighed. Numbers from different studies cannot be compared directly (→ Why numbers differ).
Good to know
- Most of the particles found were the same color as the cap, and the material was also polyester-based, like the paint. The outside of the caps had scratches before use, and flakes of paint were stuck on the inside.
- ANSES says “because there is no toxicological reference value, we cannot say whether there is a health risk,” and suggests that manufacturers review how caps are cleaned and stored before capping (June 20, 2025).
- There are critical comments that smaller containers look worse when compared per L, that sources other than the container, such as the filling line, were not considered (Muncke et al. 2025). Particles under 0.03 mm were not counted, and the number of samples is small.
- In bottled-water studies too, Oßmann 2018, which counted down to 0.001 mm, found more in glass bottles. It is not necessarily true that “glass means less.”
Data from Japan
We found no study that measured bottled or canned drinks in Japan.
Types of plastic found
Related explainers
Sources
- Chaïb I, et al. J Food Compos Anal 2025;144:107719
- ANSES, “Caps on glass bottles contaminate beverages with microplastics,” June 20, 2025
- Muncke J, et al. J Food Compos Anal 2025 (comment)
- Oßmann BE, et al. Water Res 2018;141:307 (PMID 29803096)
Last checked 2026-10-01. “Confirmed in the abstract” means we report only what the paper's abstract says. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.