Microplastics in vegetables and fruit
A 2020 Italian study reported a median of 220,000 particles per gram of fruit (the most in apples) and 98,000 in vegetables. However, the method used (electron microscopy and elemental analysis) cannot identify the type of plastic, and other researchers have criticized the same laboratory’s method as “not valid.”
Amounts found in studies
| Study | What was tested | Size range and method | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oliveri Conti et al. (2020) | Vegetables and fruit in Italy | SEM-EDX (a method that looks at elements and cannot identify the type of polymer) | Median of 223,000 particles per gram of fruit and 97,800 per gram of vegetables. 0.0015–0.0025 mm |
| Rahman et al. (2026) | 11 kinds of leafy vegetables in Bangladesh | ATR-FTIR | 0.69–10.52 particles per cm². Washing removed 54–91% from the surface, while those inside remained |
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
- Oßmann et al. (2019) criticized the same laboratory’s SEM-EDX method as “not valid as a method for identifying microplastics, and the procedure is not described.”
What you can do at home (shown in research)
- Washing leafy vegetables reduced surface microplastics by 54–91% (Rahman et al. 2026).
Data from Japan
No study measuring Japanese vegetables or fruit was found.
Related explainers
Sources
- Oliveri Conti G et al. Environ Res 2020;187:109677 (PMID 32454310)
- Oßmann BE et al. 2019 (comment) (PMID 31255329)
- Rahman et al. J Hazard Mater 2026;501:140785 (PMID 41391316)
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.