Eggs from 20 suppliers, nine of which are organically produced, have been tested by Råd & Rön. What they have been looking for are toxins in the form of dioxins, PCBs and so-called highly fluorinated substances, or PFAS.
The result shows a clear problem with all three types of poison in organic eggs, which can be harmful to the body. The toxins are also found in conventional eggs, but the levels are higher in the organic ones. Among other things, the dioxin levels were around a hundred times higher in the organic eggs, Råd & Rön states.
The harmful substances come from fishmeal found in the feed that the hens eat.
All eggs pass the limit for the values found within the EU, but according to the EU’s food authority’s recommendations, not so many of the most contaminated eggs are required before reaching the maximum limit for what is considered to be able to affect health in the long term.
Regarding PFAS, the highest levels were found in organic eggs from Kronägg. Of these, a child weighing ten kilos can eat a maximum of three eggs per week before reaching the maximum value according to Råd & Rön.
“Choose what you are confident with”
Marie Lönneskog Hogstadius, operations manager at the industry organization Swedish Eggs, believes that there is nothing that can be done at the moment to reduce the poison levels.
– At the end of 2024, when the measurement is over, the Swedish Food Agency will certainly draw conclusions based on what we have been told, she says.
When asked why one should buy organic eggs, she answers:
– There are several different variants and forms of production. You simply have to choose the product you feel safe with.
Change of EU rules
There are rules in the EU that say how organic food must be produced, something that Marie Lönneskog Hogstadius believes may need to be changed to reduce the levels of toxins.
– The very simplest thing would be for the EU to change its rules for organic eggs so that we can add pure amino acids to the feed, she says.
She also believes that other protein sources can be found instead of fishmeal in the hens’ feed.
– There has been some research on insects, for example, but then you have to make sure that the insects’ feed is also free of PFAS.