Microplastics in milk, dairy products and infant formula
Many reports for milk give a few particles per L, and one study found material from dairy-industry filtration membranes. In a study of infant formula, the amount a baby takes in is estimated to be 6.8 times higher from a plastic baby bottle than from the formula itself.
Amounts found in studies
| Study | What was tested | Size range and method | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kutralam-Muniasamy et al. (2020) | 23 milk samples from Mexico | Micro-Raman (0.1–5 mm) | Average of 6.5 particles per L. Mostly material from dairy-industry filtration membranes (polyethersulfone, etc.) |
| Santonicola et al. (2025) | 20 milk samples from Italy | FTIR | Average of 3.85 particles per 100 mL |
| Da Costa Filho et al. (2021) | Raw milk and commercial products | Micro-Raman (0.005 mm and larger) | “Relatively small amounts.” All of the authors are affiliated with the Nestlé research institute |
| Zhang et al. (2023) | Infant formula | — (confirmed in the abstract) | Per 100 g: boxed 7 particles, canned 4. The amount a baby takes in is 6.8 times higher from the baby bottle and 1.7 times higher from the preparation process than from the formula itself |
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
- How much comes from baby bottles, and ways of using them to reduce it, are covered on the “Baby bottles” page.
Data from Japan
We found no study that measured milk or infant formula in Japan.
Types of plastic found
Related explainers
Sources
- Kutralam-Muniasamy G, et al. 2020 (PMID 31991276)
- Santonicola S, et al. 2025 (PMID 40152942)
- Da Costa Filho PA, et al. Sci Rep 2021;11:24046 (PMID 34911996)
- Zhang J, et al. 2023 (PMID 36758924)
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.