Does store-bought refined sugar contain hidden microplastics?
Yes, in the tested samples. A 2026 study found small microplastic particles in refined white sugar sold in Italy, especially particles under 20 micrometers.
What it is
Refined white sugar goes through many processing and packaging steps before it reaches your pantry. Microplastics can come from food-contact materials, processing equipment, air, or packaging.
The concern is not that sugar is the biggest source of microplastics. It is that packaged foods can add small exposures across the day.
What the study found
A 2026 study in Journal of Hazardous Materials tested refined white sugar sold on the Italian market. The researchers used spectroscopy methods to look for small plastic particles.
They found microplastics in the tested sugar samples, with many particles in the 5 to 10 micrometer range. The polymers included PVC, polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and PET.
This study does not prove every sugar brand has the same levels. It does show that refined sugar can be one more packaged-food source of microplastic exposure.
What to do
You cannot remove microplastics from sugar at home. The practical move is to lower repeated plastic contact where you can: buy less packaged food, avoid heating food in plastic, and store pantry staples in glass or stainless steel.
For health overall, reducing added sugar matters more than switching between sugar packages.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden pollutants in food: Evidence of small microplastic particles (100-5 µm) in refined sugar from the Italian market | J Hazard Mater | 2026 |