1.3 OCD List

Plastics don’t stop at your tap or takeout box — they creep into our food chain. This guide shows you how to spot the hidden risks and make safer swaps without giving up (most of) your favorites.

Seafood & Fish

• Bivalves (clams, mussels, oysters): High risk — they filter gallons of water and trap nanoplastics directly in tissues.
• Crustaceans (shrimp, crab): Plastics mostly in gut. Deveining shrimp reduces risk.
• Small whole fish (anchovies, sardines, smelt): Riskier since eaten whole (gut, liver, kidneys) → higher microplastic exposure.
  • If eating sardines: gut them first if fresh. Canned sardines often include organs, so exposure persists.
• Large predatory fish (tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel): Lower direct microplastic load in muscle, but higher chemical contaminants (mercury, PCBs). Plastics bioaccumulate in guts more than muscle, but predators also accumulate toxins up the food chain.
• Lower-risk choices: Salmon, trout, cod, haddock, tilapia, mahi-mahi fillets (remove skin/organs).
• Safer seafood strategy:
  • Opt for fillets, not whole fish.
  • Choose wild-caught mid-chain fish (salmon, cod, mackerel fillets) over both bivalves and tiny whole fish.
  • Vary protein sources (poultry, legumes, eggs) to reduce cumulative burden.

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Bottom Line for Readers

• Best balance: Wild-caught Alaskan salmon, cod, haddock, trout, tilapia, mahi-mahi.
• Good in moderation: Sardines, anchovies (if gutted or limited portions).
• Avoid or minimize: Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, Gulf tilefish, high-mercury tuna.

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Plastics in Meat & Dairy — What We Know

• Microplastics detected:
  • Cow’s milk (both raw and packaged) — multiple studies show microplastic fibers and fragments in samples from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Likely sources: contaminated water, feed, and milking/storage equipment.
  • Chicken meat and tissues — microplastics found in gizzard, liver, and muscle. Feed and water again the likely pathways.
• Grass-fed vs grain-fed:
  • I could not find strong peer-reviewed evidence that grass-fed animals have less microplastic contamination.
  • Why? Even pastureland is exposed to airborne plastic fibers and irrigation water carrying microplastics.
  • Feed for grain-fed animals may add another pathway (pellets in plastic-lined sacks, processed ingredients, contaminated storage bins). But grazing animals can still ingest fibers from soil, grass, and air.
  • So at best: Grass-fed may avoid plastics from packaged/processed feed, but they’re not immune to plastics in the environment.
• Dairy equipment: Another overlooked factor — plastic tubing and liners in industrial milking systems can contribute microplastics directly into milk. Grass-fed dairy cows may still be milked with the same systems.

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Reader Takeaway

• Right now, there’s no conclusive evidence that grass-fed = significantly lower microplastics.
• The real differentiators are:
  • Water source quality
  • Feed packaging and processing
  • Milking/processing equipment (plastic vs stainless steel lines)

So: Choose grass-fed for nutrition (omega-3s, better fat profile), but don’t assume it protects against plastics.

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Salt & Seasonings: Plastics vs Iodine

• Sea Salt:
  • Universally contaminated with microplastics (studies from Europe, Asia, and North America confirm detection in nearly all samples).
  • Often contains some natural iodine, but amounts are variable and not reliable.
• Mined Rock Salt / Himalayan Salt:
  • Much lower in microplastics — these deposits were laid down millions of years ago, before modern pollution.
  • Drawback: Unlike iodized table salt, they contain very little to no iodine.
• Iodine & Health:
  • Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production.
  • Iodine deficiency can cause goiter, hypothyroidism, and developmental problems in children.
  • Public health programs worldwide made table salt the main iodine delivery system.
  • If you switch fully to Himalayan or rock salts, you may lose that fortification.

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So Should You Supplement?

• If you rely mostly on Himalayan/rock salt → yes, consider alternative iodine sources:
  • Food sources: dairy, eggs, fish, seaweed (nori, kelp, wakame)–yup, all of which may also be contaminated…
  • Iodized salt rotation: Use a mix — e.g., iodized salt for cooking, mineral salts as finishing salts.
  • Supplements: Potassium iodide in multivitamins or standalone form — but avoid “megadoses” (too much iodine can also disrupt thyroid function).

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Bottom line for Wellthe readers:

• Best microplastic avoidance: Rock or Himalayan salt.
• But: Balance with occasional iodized salt use, iodine-rich foods, or supplements to ensure thyroid health.

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Seasonings & Spices: Hidden Plastic Pathways

• Plastic Packaging:
  • Many supermarket spices come in polypropylene (#5) or PET (#1) jars. Over time, microplastics shed into powders, especially with shaking and humidity.
  • Better: Buy spices in glass jars with metal lids (common with organic brands).
• Pre-Ground vs Whole Spices:
  • Pre-ground spices → more surface area, more chances to absorb airborne dust and plastics during processing and storage.
  • Whole spices (peppercorns, cumin seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks) are far safer. You grind them at home just before use.
  • Bonus: fresher, more potent flavor.
• Bulk Bins:
  • Bulk spice bins often use plastic scoops and liners; contamination risk is higher.
  • If using bulk bins → bring your own glass or stainless containers; avoid scoops that look worn or scratched.
• Single-Use Packets (restaurants, takeout):
  • Sachets of pepper, chili flakes, or seasoning often made of polyethylene film → fragments can contaminate the contents.
  • Decline these when possible; use your own travel spice kit (tiny glass jars or tins).
• Herbal Teas / Dried Herbs:
  • Watch out for “mesh” sachets — they’re usually nylon or PET. Choose paper tea bags, loose-leaf tea in tins, or bulk herbs in glass jars.

Buy Smarter Tips

• Look for certified organic spice brands that package in glass (e.g., Simply Organic, Frontier Co-op).
• Shop at farmers’ markets or specialty spice shops that use glass refill jars.
• Invest in a small spice grinder (ceramic burr, not plastic housing inside).
• Store away from heat and sunlight — reduces breakdown of any container materials.

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Tea

• “Silken” tea bags = nylon or PET. A single bag may release billions of particles in hot water.
• Use paper filter bags or stainless steel mesh infusers.

Coffee Pods (K-cups, Nespresso, etc.)

• The problem:
  • Standard K-cups and pods are made from polypropylene (#5) or mixed plastics (#7) with aluminum foil lids.
  • Hot pressurized water extracts both microplastics and chemical additives directly into the brew.
  • Billions of pods also contribute to plastic waste streams.
• Non-plastic alternatives:
  • Stainless steel reusable pods (brands: SealPod, iCafilas, My-Cap) → refill with your own ground coffee; only stainless + silicone touches hot water.
  • Compostable pods (made of plant-based materials like PLA or paper composites). Caution: While better for the environment, PLA is still a bioplastic — it may fragment under heat. Evidence on leaching is limited.
  • Paper pods (ESE pods) → usually wrapped in filter paper. Fully compostable, widely used in Europe.

Bottom Line:

• If you already own a pod machine:
  • Switch to stainless steel refillable pods.
  • If not possible, choose paper pods over plastic.
  • Avoid “compostable PLA” pods if you want to minimize plastic ingestion risk.
• Best long-term option: Shift to brewing methods with no plastic exposure — e.g., French press (stainless + glass), pour-over with paper filter, or moka pot (all stainless/aluminum).

Behavior Hack for Pod Users

“If it’s hot and under pressure, don’t let it touch plastic.”

• Pods = highest-risk combo (heat + pressure + plastic).
• Reusable stainless pods = safest bridge for current pod-machine owners.

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Produce

• Washing vs Peeling:
  • Washing under running water in a colander removes surface microplastics and dust fallout.
  • For fruits/vegetables with edible skins (apples, pears, cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes): better to wash than peel, since most nutrients (fiber, polyphenols, vitamins) are in or just under the skin.
  • Peeling unnecessarily reduces nutritional value without guaranteeing fewer microplastics (since many are internal from irrigation/soil).
• Apple Wax Coatings:
  • Commercial apples often coated with a thin edible wax layer (carnauba, shellac, or petroleum-based microcrystalline wax).
  • Plastic interaction:
    • Waxes are hydrophobic and may repel some microplastics/dust, acting like a “barrier.”
    • But petroleum-derived waxes can also carry their own chemical residues.
  • Advice: Wash thoroughly under running warm water, scrub gently with a brush, or use a dilute baking soda rinse. Peeling is a fallback, but you’ll lose much of the skin’s antioxidants.
• Leafy Greens:
  • Lettuce, spinach, kale can trap microplastics from irrigation water and airborne fallout.
  • Rinsing leaves separately under running water is more effective than soaking (soaking water itself may re-deposit particles).
• Root Vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets):
  • Most plastics exposure is on the surface (from soil particles).
  • Scrubbing under water works; peeling reduces exposure but also removes fiber + micronutrients.

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Reader Takeaway

• For edible-skin produce: wash > peel.
• For waxed apples: wash with warm water + brush.
• For leafy greens: rinse individual leaves, avoid soaking bowls.
• For roots: scrub under running water, peel only if cooking preference dictates.

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Processed & Packaged Foods: Can & Pouch Linings

• Cans (the default):
  • Traditionally lined with epoxy resins containing BPA to prevent corrosion and metal taste.
  • BPA-free is now common, but… many manufacturers quietly switched to BPS or BPF (structurally similar, with similar endocrine effects).
  • Even “BPA-free” ≠ “plastic-free.”
• Brands that publicly disclose safer linings:
  • Eden Foods → One of the first to switch (since 1999). Uses oleoresin (plant resin, mainly pine) linings in their bean cans. Acidic foods (like tomatoes) still require epoxy-based liners.
  • Muir Glen (Organic tomatoes) → Switched to vinyl and polyester-based linings; BPA-free since 2015.
  • Amy’s Kitchen, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods 365 → Market as BPA-free, but details often vague (likely polyester/epoxy alternatives).
  • Native Forest (coconut milk) → BPA-free cans, reportedly use polyester-based linings.
• Pouches & Cartons:
  • Tetra Pak cartons → multilayered (paper, aluminum, polyethylene). They’re BPA-free, but the polyethylene layer is still plastic (lower leach risk for cold/ambient storage).
  • Retort pouches (soups, tuna, baby food) → Almost always lined with plastic films (polypropylene or multilayer PET/nylon). They are “BPA-free” but not free of plastic.

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Bottom Line:

1. Glass jars > cans > pouches. Glass jars with metal lids (often lined with a thin BPA-free epoxy) are the lowest plastic contact.
2. Check brands: Eden Foods for beans; Native Forest for coconut milk; Muir Glen for tomatoes.
3. Acidic foods (tomatoes, citrus): Highest leaching risk — buy in glass when possible.
4. Rotate packaging: Use cans only occasionally; lean on fresh, frozen, or glass-packed foods for staples.
5. Frozen vegetables/fruits in polyethylene bags → safer than cans for plastic leaching, though not plastic-free.

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Other Food Sources

Honey

• Findings: Studies from Europe and Asia show microplastic fibers and fragments in honey samples, likely from airborne dust during collection, processing, and packaging.
• Risk factors: Plastic processing equipment, plastic jars, and urban hives near pollution sources.
• Better choices:
  • Buy raw, local honey packaged in glass jars.
  • Prefer small apiaries using stainless steel extraction equipment.
  • Avoid squeezable plastic bottles (common in supermarkets. BTW, make sure it’s not ‘fake honey’, which is also very common).

Beer

• Findings: Microplastics detected in multiple global beer brands, traced to contaminated brewing water and packaging lines.
• Risk factors: Plastic filters, tubing, and contaminated municipal water.
• Better choices:
  • Craft breweries that disclose stainless steel fermentation + glass bottling.
  • Buy beer in glass bottles over cans (cans = BPA-type liners).
  • Avoid PET plastic bottles of beer (still sold in some markets).

Bottled Drinks (Water, Sodas, Juices)

• Findings: PET (#1) bottles shed microplastics over time, especially when exposed to heat, sunlight, or reuse cycles. Studies show bottled water can have hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles per liter.
• Risk factors:
  • Heat (storage in cars, warehouses, vending machines).
  • Acidity (sodas, citrus juices) accelerates leaching.
  • Repeated reuse of disposable bottles.
• Better choices:
  • Tap water (filtered via reverse osmosis, distillation, or high-quality carbon systems) → stored in glass or stainless steel bottles.
  • For travel: buy larger water jugs, then decant into your own stainless/glass bottle.
  • For sodas/juices: choose brands packaged in glass bottles (many craft sodas and cold-pressed juices do this).

Bottom Line:

• Honey → raw, local, glass jars.
• Beer → craft, stainless steel fermentation, glass bottles.
• Drinks → skip PET bottles; choose tap (filtered), decant into your own safe container, or buy glass-packaged beverages.

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Pro-Tips

• Buy from farmers markets → fewer packaging layers, lower plastic exposure.
• Store oils in dark glass, not plastic jugs.
• Air-dry washed produce instead of towel-drying with microfiber (synthetic).

Too much? Feeling overwhelmed? There’s always the Life is Short list…