Kimchi microbe shows promise for clearing nanoplastics from the gut
A lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi can bind to nanoplastics under conditions mimicking the human intestine, and in mice it more than doubled the amount of nanoplastics excreted in feces. The strain maintained high binding efficiency in simulated gut environments, unlike a comparison strain that lost most of its activity. This suggests fermented-food microbes could offer a biological strategy to reduce nanoplastic accumulation in the body.
Nanoplastics, particles smaller than one micrometer, can slip through the intestinal lining and accumulate in organs such as the kidneys and brain after entering the body via food and water. The kimchi-derived strain Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656 bound polystyrene nanoplastics at 87% efficiency under standard lab conditions, and crucially retained 57% binding in simulated intestinal environments—while a comparison strain fell from 85% to just 3%.
In germ-free mice, both male and female subjects given the strain showed more than double the nanoplastics in feces compared to controls. The research, led by Drs. Se Hee Lee and Tae Woong Whon at the World Institute of Kimchi, suggests fermented-food microbes may offer a biological route for reducing gastrointestinal nanoplastic accumulation, extending their known role beyond fermentation.
This research could eventually inform probiotic-based dietary strategies for people concerned about environmental plastic exposure, though human trials remain distant. If the binding mechanism proves robust in real digestive systems, fermented foods might gain a new health dimension beyond gut benefits. However, the effect size in humans, long-term safety, and whether reduced gut accumulation actually lowers organ exposure are still open questions. The findings may also spur broader investigation into how everyday microbes interact with environmental pollutants.