Microplastics in Gum: A Hidden Exposure Path

Chewing gum might be more than just a sweet treat or a breath-freshening habit — it could also be a source of microplastic ingestion, according to new research presented at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2025 meeting.

Engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles conducted a pilot study to quantify how many microplastic particles are released during the act of chewing gum — and the results suggest this everyday habit could contribute to ongoing microplastic exposure.

What the Study Found

Researchers analyzed 10 types of gum (five synthetic, five plant-based) chewed by a single participant for varying durations between 2 and 20 minutes. Saliva samples were collected and analyzed using advanced infrared microscopy and a smartphone-enabled detection method.

They found that each gram of gum released up to 637 microplastic particles — with 94% released within the first 8 minutes. Both natural and synthetic gums released a similar amount of particles, and the most frequently detected plastic polymer was polyolefin.

Microplastics in Saliva, But What About Health?

The study identified four main types of plastic polymers in the samples, raising questions about the potential health risks of ingesting microplastics in this way. However, researchers emphasized that the goal wasn’t to cause alarm.

As project lead Sanjay Mohanty explained, scientists still don’t know whether these microplastics pose a danger to human health. There are no human trials yet to confirm the effects of ingesting small plastic particles, though environmental exposure has been documented in many areas of daily life.

Practical Takeaways and Ongoing Questions

For consumers, the findings may prompt more scrutiny about what goes into their gum — and how long they chew it. Because most of the microplastic release happens within the first 8 minutes, chewing for shorter durations may slightly reduce exposure.

Still, the bigger question remains: What are the long-term effects of this kind of microplastic ingestion?

For now, researchers are calling for additional studies that can expand on their results, especially with larger sample sizes and across a broader demographic. Understanding whether these particles accumulate or affect the body over time will be a key area of future inquiry.

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