A recent study has estimated the annual microplastics intake by adult humans based on the presence of microplastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of 160 fish species

There are significant knowledge gaps regarding the presence of nano- and microplastics in foods and their harmful effects on human health, according to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Recent studies have found that microplastics and nanoplastics move upward through the food chain and land in the human gut, and have also demonstrated the ability of the particles to encourage biofilm formation, harbor pathogens, and affect microbial growth in ways that may affect human health.

Flinders University researchers measured microplastics levels in South Australian mussels, and the findings indicate the probability of plastic pollution in the global food supply chain.