Expert warning: Health risk from microplastics in spice mills - tips to avoid

Expert warning: Health risk from microplastics in spice mills - tips to avoid

According to a report by www.waz.de,

The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center warns against plastic spice mills because they can contain microplastics that are harmful to health. According to experts, the use of disposable spice mills made of pure plastic increases the microplastic content in food immensely. The scientists from the University of Münster and the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Office Münster Emscher Lippe have discovered that unground spices in such spice mills already contain microplastics. When the spices are ground, even more microplastics end up in the food.

In a study, the researchers compared three spice mills made of pure plastic with two refillable mills that had plastic or ceramic grinders. It was found that the pure plastic mills caused the highest microplastic content in the food. For every 100 milligrams of ground salt, they found several thousand particles of microplastic. Although the exact health effects of microplastics have not yet been fully clarified, researchers suspect that high amounts of microplastics can cause inflammation in the body.

As an alternative to plastic spice mills, the NRW consumer advice center recommends refillable spice mills with grinders made of ceramic or stainless steel. These mills do not release any microplastics when grinding the spices and do not create any unnecessary waste.

It is important to pay attention to the consumer advice center's warnings and, when selecting spice mills, to consciously pay attention to materials that do not have any harmful effects on health. The market for spice grinders could shift accordingly as consumers increasingly look for environmentally friendly alternatives. This trend towards sustainable and health-safe products could also influence other industries and lead to increased demand for environmentally friendly alternatives.