Mediterranean countries are the leading producers and exporters of olive oil in the world, with Italy and Spain alone consuming about 1 million tons annually. Because of the prevalence of oils exported from these countries and their high levels of consumption within their own borders, scientists from the University of Bologna and the Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community in Spain conducted sampling and analysis of common vegetable oils from Italy and Spain, packaged in both glass and plastic bottles, to determine the presence of microplastics.

The researchers found microplastics in every sample tested, regardless of packaging.