TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Together Against RSV
  • SG60
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Holiday Hub
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

Study: The Salt in Your Kitchen Could Come With Microplastics

25 Oct, 2018
Study: The Salt in Your Kitchen Could Come With Microplastics

We've included some tips on choosing cleaner brands of salt the next time you do your groceries.

Due to its convenient properties, plastic has become common in modern society. From packaging food, drinks, and even tools and equipment. However, when plastic leaches into the environment, it can contaminate everything – and come back to “pollute” our bodies – like sea salt contaminated with plastic. 

Study: Sea salt contaminated with plastic invisible to the eye

Study: The Salt in Your Kitchen Could Come With Microplastics

Image source: iStock

A recent study from Greenpeace has discovered that 90 % of the salt everyone around the world cooks with comes with microplastics – especially salt purchased in Asia. According to the study, generally adults ingests 10 grams of salt daily. That amounts to over 2,000 microplastics each year!

If you were wondering what microplastics are, they are defined as “small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life.” They can also come in the form of “tiny pieces of polyethylene plastic added to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpastes.”

The alarming study, published in the Journal Environmental Science & Technology, looked into 39 different brands of salt sold in 21 countries, such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. 

Scientists discovered these microplastics in 36 out of 39 of the brands, with the highest concentration of microplastics hailing from salt used in Asia.

Still, each salt brand has vastly different amounts of microplastic. The salt brands contaminated with the most microplastics were determined to be from Indonesian sea salt samples. 

Furthermore, the study also concluded that Asia is responsible for much of Earth’s plastic pollution. According to Mikyoung Kim, a Greenpeace East Asia campaigner, this finding suggests that the health of Asian residents, as well as their ecosystem, are in danger due to “severe maritime microplastics pollution”. 

sea salt contaminated with plastic

Scientists from Greenpeace have found sea salt contaminated with plastic that we can’t see. | Image Source: Business Insider

“Recent studies have found plastics in seafood, wildlife, tap water, and now in salt. It is clear that there is no escape from this plastics crisis, especially as it continues to leak into our waterways and oceans,” adds Kim. 

Which other types of salt should I choose from if sea salt contaminated with plastic?

However, there might be a ray of hope.

The research found that of the 39 salt brands they examined, the following three were free of invisible plastics:

  • Taiwanese refined sea salt   
  • Mainland China’s refined rock salt  
  • France’s unrefined, sun-dried sea salt  

Furthermore, researchers found the top contenders that were tainted with the most plastic, in descending order, were:

  • Sea salt
  • Lake salt 
  • Rock salt 

The report also concludes that knowing how badly contaminated the salt is a measure of how badly polluted its source is. Still, scientists have a lot to uncover, such as how these  “invisible” plastics will affect us if they enter our bodies, and if it will lead to health consequences in the long run.

Do take note which type of salt you’re buying the next time you’re in the supermarket, parents. You may be unintentionally adding plastic into your meals. Otherwise, perhaps do stick to the safer options mentioned before!

A timely reminder for parents

Study: The Salt in Your Kitchen Could Come With Microplastics

Image source: iStock

Parents, we know you’re anxious about your children and what they eat. Here are some reminders about salt which you might want to heed:

  • Babies under 12 months old should not be fed salt or sugar at all. 
  • Salt is a vital component of many dishes, and without it there will be no taste. However, there are substitutes that you can use to make meals tasty, like aromatics (think garlic, ginger, chilli), herbs (such as thyme, rosemary and dill) and spices (bay leaf, star anise and cloves). 
  • excessively salt intake is a common cause of many diseases and can cause complications like high blood pressure. Do remember that sprinkling your dishes with less salt will also benefit your health. 

References: Business insider, Greenpeace, Environmental Science & Technology

ALSO READ:

The real risk of chemicals in food hurting your children

Restaurant food often contaminated with plastic based chemicals

The most common ways formula milk gets contaminated: Safety guide for parents

 

Partner Stories
Unlocking Financial Independence for the Next Generation
Unlocking Financial Independence for the Next Generation
Comfort, Care, and Confidence for New Mums  with PEM Confinement Nannies
Comfort, Care, and Confidence for New Mums with PEM Confinement Nannies
Relax & Recover with PNSG Postnatal Massage
Relax & Recover with PNSG Postnatal Massage
Games to Play With Kids Indoors: 8 Fun Games You Can Play When You're Too Tired to Move
Games to Play With Kids Indoors: 8 Fun Games You Can Play When You're Too Tired to Move

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Kevin Wijaya Oey

  • Home
  • /
  • Parenting
  • /
  • Study: The Salt in Your Kitchen Could Come With Microplastics
Share:
  • How His Son’s Cancer Survival Made This Dad an Ambassador of Hope

    How His Son’s Cancer Survival Made This Dad an Ambassador of Hope

  • GDD Changed the Script, So This Pastor Found Joy in Small Wins

    GDD Changed the Script, So This Pastor Found Joy in Small Wins

  • Fast Food, Screens, and No Greens: Why Teen Health Needs Urgent Attention

    Fast Food, Screens, and No Greens: Why Teen Health Needs Urgent Attention

powered by
  • How His Son’s Cancer Survival Made This Dad an Ambassador of Hope

    How His Son’s Cancer Survival Made This Dad an Ambassador of Hope

  • GDD Changed the Script, So This Pastor Found Joy in Small Wins

    GDD Changed the Script, So This Pastor Found Joy in Small Wins

  • Fast Food, Screens, and No Greens: Why Teen Health Needs Urgent Attention

    Fast Food, Screens, and No Greens: Why Teen Health Needs Urgent Attention

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
  • Family Occasions
  • Lifestyle
  • Normal Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
  • Trying To Conceive
  • News
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it