It started with a pregnancy
Wilbert keeps chickens in a covered aviary at his home in Brabant. He gives eggs to friends, neighbors, and family. He’s been doing it for years.
Then, someone in his family became pregnant. A question that had been floating around casually suddenly became more serious: Should we actually know what’s in these eggs?
Fair question. He’d never had a reason to worry. Covered aviary, no free-ranging in open soil. But “I don’t think there’s a problem” feels different when you’re handing eggs to someone pregant.
A quick word on PFAS (without the chemistry lecture)
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It’s a terrible name, but what you need to know is that these are synthetic chemicals used in everything from non-stick pans to waterproof jackets since the 1950s. They’re called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down. Ever. They just stay in the soil, groundwater, and eventually enter the food chain.
For chicken keepers, the issue is straightforward. Your chickens interact with soil and water in their environment. Even in a controlled setup, PFAS accumulates in their bodies over time and concentrates in their eggs.
Here’s the surprising part for most people: Multiple studies have found that backyard eggs often contain higher levels of PFAS than those you buy in the store. Not because backyard keepers are careless. Commercial operations simply have more controlled environments and are required to test. Hobby keepers aren’t required to do anything, so most don’t.
What Wilbert actually experienced
We asked Wilbert a few questions after his test. His answers were refreshingly straightforward.
Why he tested:
“We give eggs away regularly and now with pregnant women in the family, the question ‘Is there PFAS in the eggs?’ kept coming up more often. Testing lets you actually answer that question.”
The process:
“The testing process was very simple. After an email, I got the order forms, which were easy to fill in, and I quickly received the test kit.”
The results took about 4 weeks. We should be upfront about that. We batch-test every 4 weeks to keep the analysis accurate and the price at €255 instead of something unnecessarily high. It’s not instant gratification, but Wilbert said it wasn’t a problem for him.
His results? Well under EU limits. He now gives eggs away knowing exactly what’s in them rather than hoping for the best.
His advice to fellow chicken keepers was probably the most interesting part:
“When you know the levels are under the limit, you enjoy your eggs more and feel better sharing them. If the levels are above the limit, well, then you have a dilemma.”
We appreciate him saying that because it’s true. Testing can go either way. But if you’re feeding eggs to your kids, your pregnant sister, or your elderly neighbor, knowing beats guessing. Even if the answer is uncomfortable.
So how does this actually work?
Simpler than most people assume. You order the test through our website. Pay with iDEAL, credit card, or debit card. After that, we send you a short questionnaire about your chickens and their setup (this helps us interpret results properly), along with a sample collection box.
You collect one egg per chicken, anywhere from 6 to 12 eggs total, pack them in the box we provided, and send it back. We handle the rest.
Results come via email. Clear, readable, no lab jargon you’d need a PhD to decode.
The whole thing costs €255, covering the full certified analysis. If you split it with a few neighbors who also keep chickens, it becomes quite affordable per household.
You can check your own eggs for PFAS here: https://www.triskelion.nl/product/pfas-eiertest-nederlands/