Plastic production has grown dramatically over the years. Microplastics (MPs) are formed from the fragmentation of larger plastic debris by combining chemical, physical, and biological processes and can degrade further to form nanoplastics (NPs). Because of their size, MPs and NPs are bioavailable to many organisms and can reach humans through transport along the food chain. In addition to the risk from ingesting MPs themselves, there are risks associated with the substances they carry, such as pesticides, pathogenic microorganisms, and heavy metals, and with the additives added to plastics to improve their characteristics. In addition, bioaccumulation and biomagnification can cause a cumulative exposure effect for organisms at the top of the food chain and humans. Despite the growing scientific interest in this emerging contaminant, the potential adverse effects remain unclear. The aim of this review is to summarize the characteristics (size, shape, color, and properties) of MPs in the environment, the primary sources, and the transport pathways in various environmental compartments, and to shed more light on the ecological impact of MPs and the potential health effects on organisms and humans by identifying human exposure pathways.

A survey was performed to obtain the frequency and levels of contamination by deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins B₁ and B₂ (FB1, FB2) mycotoxins in Italian marketed foods. Of 202 samples investigated, including raw materials and processed cereal foods (bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits, baby and infant foods), 84% were contaminated with DON at levels from 0.007 to 0.930 µg g⁻¹ (median 0.065 µg g⁻¹); 26% contained FB1 ranging from 0.010 to 2.870 µg g⁻¹ (0.070 µg g⁻¹); 35% contained FB2 at 0.010–0.790 µg g⁻¹ (0.080 µg g⁻¹). The highest levels of DON and FB1 were detected in raw cereals and wholemeal flours. The highest levels of FB2 were detected in durum wheat pasta. A widespread DON contamination was found in baby and infant foods at levels varying from 0.007 to 0.166 µg g⁻¹.