Abstract: Micro (nano) plastics are emerging environmental pollutants that have received much attention in recent years. Micro (nano) plastics and harmful substances attached to them can accumulate in living organisms and be enriched in the human body through the food chain, posing a potential threat to food safety and human health. At present, micro (nano) plastics have been detected in a variety of foods. In this paper, the latest progress made over the past five years in research on the status of micro (nano) plastics pollution in foods and the analytical methods used in this area are reviewed, and the potential harms of micro (nano) plastics to human health are discussed based on their toxicity of micro (nano) plastics to human cells and their transport and absorption in mammals. An outlook of future research directions is also presented. This review is expected to provide support for in-depth studies of micro (nano) plastics contamination in foods in China.

Key words: micro (nano) plastics; foods; pollution; analysis; harms