Are PFAS in eggs from backyard chickens safe?

You might want to rethink that fresh egg breakfast. A 2026 study published in Foods found that home-produced eggs contain significantly higher levels of PFAS than those bought at the store.

Researchers tested 30 different PFAS compounds and found that backyard eggs frequently tested positive for PFOS, PFNA, PFDA, and PFDoDA. Even more concerning, PFOA—a chemical linked to serious health issues—was detected exclusively in home-produced eggs. You can read the full breakdown of the data here.

The study highlights that children under nine years old are at the highest risk from this exposure. While it feels counterintuitive, the data shows that commercial cage eggs actually had the lowest levels of these forever chemicals. The environment where your chickens forage is likely contaminated, and those chemicals are ending up directly on your plate.

We can't always control the soil in our backyards, but we can control the tools we use to cook our food. Stop leaching additional chemicals into your meals with plastic or low-quality nonstick pans. It is time to upgrade to non-toxic kitchen alternatives that don't add to your toxic load. Check your cookware, check your sources, and keep your kitchen clean.

Source: Bilandžić N, Varga I, Kaurinović J, Čalopek B, Đokić M (2026). Foods.