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Objective <p>We aimed to synthesize and interpret available evidence on microplastics released from plastic cutting boards, the resulting contamination of food, potential human health effects, and environmental pathways, and to identify practical mitigation options.</p> Methods <p>A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and relevant journal websites, focusing on 2018–2025, with sentinel studies from 2008–2017 included. Search terms addressed microplastics, nanoplastics, and food-contact contexts, supplemented by reference checks to capture additional relevant work. Exclusion criteria removed inaccessible or irrelevant reports. In total, 98 publications were thematically synthesized to assess microplastic release, exposure, toxicology, and environmental implications.</p> Results <p>Laboratory abrasion tests and Raman-imaging studies show that routine knife work on polypropylene and polyethylene boards releases micro- to nanoplastics, with yields influenced by material, cutting force, food hardness, temperature, and board wear, and several datasets indicate higher shedding from polypropylene than polyethylene. Field investigations detect microplastics in meats and fish prepared on plastic boards and demonstrate persistence through rinsing and cooking. Ingestion represents the dominant exposure pathway, with plausible gastrointestinal irritation and potential systemic translocation for small particles. Shed particles also enter wastewater and soils, supporting environmental recirculation. Practical mitigations include material substitution for high-force tasks, timely board replacement, sharp-knife and low-force techniques, and improved cleaning practices.</p> Conclusions <p>Plastic cutting boards constitute a direct and modifiable source of dietary and environmental microplastics at the point of food preparation. Integrating cutting board shedding into exposure assessments and advancing standardized methods, nanoplastics quantification, and product and food-contact guidance can reduce avoidable exposure and inform risk management. These findings underscore the need for regulatory attention to mechanical shedding from food-contact plastics, a risk pathway currently overlooked in food safety frameworks.</p>

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Hidden danger in everyday cooking: microplastic release from plastic cutting boards and impact on health and the environment

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月16日

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  • Joshua Khorsandi,
  • Liahm Blank,
  • Spencer Thatcher,
  • Abu-Bakr Ahmed,
  • Kavita Batra,
  • G. DeAndrea,
  • Aftab Merchant

摘要

Objective

We aimed to synthesize and interpret available evidence on microplastics released from plastic cutting boards, the resulting contamination of food, potential human health effects, and environmental pathways, and to identify practical mitigation options.

Methods

A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and relevant journal websites, focusing on 2018–2025, with sentinel studies from 2008–2017 included. Search terms addressed microplastics, nanoplastics, and food-contact contexts, supplemented by reference checks to capture additional relevant work. Exclusion criteria removed inaccessible or irrelevant reports. In total, 98 publications were thematically synthesized to assess microplastic release, exposure, toxicology, and environmental implications.

Results

Laboratory abrasion tests and Raman-imaging studies show that routine knife work on polypropylene and polyethylene boards releases micro- to nanoplastics, with yields influenced by material, cutting force, food hardness, temperature, and board wear, and several datasets indicate higher shedding from polypropylene than polyethylene. Field investigations detect microplastics in meats and fish prepared on plastic boards and demonstrate persistence through rinsing and cooking. Ingestion represents the dominant exposure pathway, with plausible gastrointestinal irritation and potential systemic translocation for small particles. Shed particles also enter wastewater and soils, supporting environmental recirculation. Practical mitigations include material substitution for high-force tasks, timely board replacement, sharp-knife and low-force techniques, and improved cleaning practices.

Conclusions

Plastic cutting boards constitute a direct and modifiable source of dietary and environmental microplastics at the point of food preparation. Integrating cutting board shedding into exposure assessments and advancing standardized methods, nanoplastics quantification, and product and food-contact guidance can reduce avoidable exposure and inform risk management. These findings underscore the need for regulatory attention to mechanical shedding from food-contact plastics, a risk pathway currently overlooked in food safety frameworks.