Tea drinkers may also be consuming plastic
Tea bags may be filling beer with billions of microscopic plastic particles.
A comprehensive review of 19 studies by researchers in Iran and the UK found that a single dried tea bag may contain approximately 1.3 billion plastic particles. When brewed, this number can go up to 14.7 billion due to the heat breaking down the ingredients.
Tea bags made from nylon and PET, a common plastic, were among the worst offenders.
Experts say the contamination could come from the material itself or the manufacturing process.
Microplastics are already found in human blood, lungs and liver, raising concerns about long-term exposure.
Scientists warn that its full health impact is unknown, but laboratory studies suggest possible links to inflammation, cellular damage and oxidative stress.
A 2024 study by the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona found that some tea bags released approximately 1.2 billion particles per milliliter under test conditions.
Some particles are small enough to interact with human cells, potentially reaching areas where genetic material is stored, the researchers said.
Although many brands claim to be “plastic-free”, which one? The research found that only four of 28 popular tea brands fully met this standard.
Many companies have replaced traditional plastics with polylactic acid, or PLA, a plant-based alternative. However, experts say it is still a type of plastic and can break down into microscopic pieces in hot water.
It has been found that major supermarkets and brands such as Aldi, Tesco, PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea use plastic-related materials in some of their products.
Scientists say microplastics are now widespread and difficult to prevent completely.
But they suggest that switching to loose leaf tea or verified plastic-free bags may help reduce exposure.
