«Term used to identify particles of plastic material, produced directly or indirectly by man».

This is the definition found in the dictionary under “microplastics“, a word unknown until recently and now in everyday use. The definition, then, continues bringing data and quoting studies, until it reveals the most shocking part. 

«Their dispersion in the environment allows them to enter the trophic chain, documented in more than 180 animal species, including birds, fish, turtles, and mammals, with an ecotoxicological impact that even involves the human species».

In practice, studies carried out all over the world have found that a large number of species, including zooplankton, octopuses, clams, fish, consume microplastics on a daily basis. As these animals become prey to others, the microplastics end up entering the food chain, reaching the top, right up to the human being. 

To raise public awareness on this topic, the Sweet Sneak Studio, in collaboration with the Copenhagen Zoo and photographer Morten Bentzon has created The Microplastic Photo Series, a project that shows some of the foods in which microplastics have been found. 

The photographic series consists of eight still life shots in which foods such as beer, sushi, honey, and water are literally fused with plastic parts. What’s most fascinating is that no one would ever eat food photographed by Morten Bentozon, while we all continue to buy the ones in which we are mathematically certain there are microplastics.