Researchers have discovered that chewing gum releases hundreds of microplastics into people’s mouths. They also warned of pollution caused by the rubber-based sweet.

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The study conducted by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) comes amid the rising concern over microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic, which are found throughout the world, from oceans to mountains, and even in the air.

The presence of microplastics has been detected in human bodies as well, including inside our blood, lungs and brain. This has sparked fear and concerns regarding its impact on health.

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“I don’t want to alarm people,” said Sanjay Mohanty, the lead researcher in the recent study, as cited by AFP. He added that presently, there is no evidence which directly highlights microplastics causing harm to human health.

The latest pilot study highlighted a way these invisible plastics enter our bodies–chewing gum.

Researchers arrived at their findings after testing the saliva of a person who chewed seven pieces each of 10 gum brands. They found that a gram of gum releases an average of 100 microplastic fragments, while some even shed over 600 particles.

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According to researchers, people who chew about 180 pieces of gum in a year could be consuming about 30,000 microplastics. Mohanty stressed that the amount ingested through chewing gum is much less than in other ways microplastics can enter the human body.

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On average, a litre of water in a plastic bottle contains about 240,000 microplastics, as per last year’s study, reported AFP.

Researchers highlight ingredients of synthetic gum

Researchers noted that the most commonly sold chewing gum is called synthetic gum, which contains petroleum-based polymers to get that chewy effect. However, the packaging does not list any plastics in the ingredients and rather simply mentions “gum-based”.

“Nobody will tell you the ingredients,” Mohanty said.

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The researchers analysed five brands of synthetic gum and five of natural gum, which contain plant-based polymers such as tree sap. However, the microplastics were found in abundance in both kinds, according to AFP. 

The gum shed almost all microplastics within the first eight minutes of chewing gum, the researchers added.

David Jones, a researcher at the UK's University of Portsmouth, who was not involved in the study, highlighted that people tend to “freak out a little bit” when told that the chewing gum is made up of something similar to what is found “in car tyres, plastic bags and bottles”.

The researchers further warned of plastic pollution when people “spit the chewing gum onto the sidewalk”.

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The study was presented at the meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego. 

(With inputs from agencies)