Truth about America’s favorite pasture-raised egg brand after tests revealed what its chickens are eating… and sparked huge boycotts

Eggs, long a simple grocery staple, have become a source of mounting consumer anxiety in the US. Over the last year, shoppers have faced soaring prices and disruptive recalls, leaving many uncertain about which to buy.

Now, a new kind of controversy has cracked the facade of a premium brand. A social media scandal has put Vital Farms in the spotlight, not over salmonella, but over the nutritional quality that justifies its premium price.

The firestorm began when Instagram user @zephzoid posted a video ‘exposé,’ which shared the findings of a study conducted by fresh food campaign group Nourish Food Club in collaboration with Michigan State University on Vital Farms eggs.

Testing revealed that two Organic Vital Farms eggs contain roughly the same amount of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fat, as a full tablespoon of canola oil. An excess of this fat is linked to inflammation and cellular damage.

The linoleic acid in the yolk comes directly from the hens’ diet, which, despite ‘pasture-raised’ labeling, still appear to be dominated by the corn- and soy-based feed that underpins industrial-scale agriculture. According to the study, tests showed that the egg’s composition is a direct product of the conventional feed supply chain. 

Meanwhile, scientists from Michigan State University found in a 2022 study that eggs from hens fed a corn- and soy-free feed contained half as much omega-6 fatty acid.

The backlash to the test results has been widespread and fierce. Across social media, posts accusing Vital Farms of greenwashing and deceptive marketing gathered thousands of likes and shares, with the hashtag #BoycottVitalFarms trending.

For many loyal customers, the revelation felt like a betrayal, in part because of the price, which can approach $12 for a dozen. They had paid a premium for a brand story rooted in ethical transparency and ‘pasture-raised’ wholesomeness, only to be told in a viral video that its nutritional profile was anchored in the same industrial agricultural system they believed they were opting out of.

The linoleic acid in canola oil, a type of seed oil targeted by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr for its links to chronic illnesses, is an essential omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) required for health in small amounts, about one to two percent of calories. 

People generally eat too much of it, though, with an excess linked to inflammation, heart disease, cancer, dementia and other neurologic disorders, diabetes and obesity.

On its website, Vital Farms says of its hens: ‘Alongside the food they forage, our girls receive supplemental feed. The supplemental feed consists primarily of corn and soybean meal, which the hens need for protein, as well as additional natural ingredients.’

The company addressed the testing indirectly in public comments, saying in a TikTok response: ‘We’ve always been open about what our hens eat. This is not new information.’

Specifically responding to concerns about the levels of linoleic acid, Vital Farms told The Kitchn in a statement: ‘Linoleic acid is a type of omega-6 fatty acid. Omega-6s are essential nutrients that support core cellular functions like skin, brain, and heart health – but your body can’t make it on its own – you have to get it from food. 

‘As with any healthy diet, balance and moderation are key. And for context, one egg contains about 4 per cent of your recommended daily amount of omega-6s.’ 

The company has not responded to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.  

Chickens living in the wild or on an unmanaged pasture eat a varied diet of insects, worms, seeds, grasses and plants. 

This diet is naturally lower in concentrated sources of linoleic acid, such as soybeans, and richer in a mix of saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and a balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. 

Soy proteins and corn metabolites from chicken feed are common allergens and can transfer from feed to yolk.

Many who experience digestive discomfort or an inflammatory response to standard eggs find they can comfortably eat low-PUFA, corn- and soy-free versions, due not only to the removal of direct allergens but also to linoleic acid’s known potential to compromise the integrity of the gut barrier.

Still, registered New Jersey-based dietitian Lisa Moscovitz told the Daily Mail: ‘Not all omega-6 foods are created equally. Omega-6 from ultra-processed snacks can be health-hazardous over time. Eggs that contain omega-6 are also packaged with a plethora of other beneficial nutrients. I still categorize them as a healthy and smart food choice.’

Eating fewer PUFAs means the body stores less of them in its tissues, which supports cellular energy production and is associated with healthier metabolic signaling with the brain over time.

This optimal fat environment promotes proper neurotransmitter signaling, the complex chemical communication between brain cells, and helps maintain the brain’s delicate inflammatory balance.

Low-PUFA eggs are inherently more stable, resulting in a cleaner cooking process and fewer dietary toxins.

For shoppers seeking eggs with a different nutritional profile, the label ‘pasture-raised’ is not enough. To find low-PUFA eggs, shoppers must look past marketing and examine feed composition. 

Seek out producers who explicitly state their hens are fed a corn-free and soy-free diet, or who market their eggs specifically as ‘low-PUFA.’ This information is often found on a brand’s website or through direct inquiry at farmers’ markets.

Vital Farms works with hundreds of family farms to put out products that are sold in more than 23,000 stores across the US. The company does not hide the fact that its chickens eat soybean-based feed.

The revelation from the lab testing highlights how the ‘pasture-raised’ label does not necessarily mean the producer avoids some practices followed by Big Agriculture and vast monoculture farms.

The revelation from the lab testing highlights that the ‘pasture-raised’ label, while meaningful for animal welfare and certain nutritional aspects, does not guarantee a product free from all practices common in large-scale agriculture. 

It forces consumers to scrutinize what they are paying a premium for, challenging the assumption that more ethical farming automatically translates to a superior product in every single nutritional metric. 

However, it also proves that deliberately formulated, corn- and soy-free feed does produce a measurably different egg in terms of fatty acid composition. 

Vital Farms eggs are not identical to standard industrial eggs; they offer verified advantages like richer antioxidants, higher vitamin content and no antibiotics. Consumers are paying a premium for a demonstrably healthier product, just not one that is low in the specific omega-6 fatty acid now under scrutiny. 

This is due to increased carotenoids, which are potent antioxidants, and other micronutrients from foraging.

Moscovitz said: ‘Pasture access can significantly alter the fatty acid profile, doubling or even tripling the omega-3 content, of eggs, even when the base diet is conventional feed.’

Studies suggest pasture-raised eggs can have higher levels of vitamins E, A, and certain antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin compared to conventionally raised eggs, thanks to the hens’ consumption of plants and insects.

Moscovitz said: ‘The good news is if you’re an avid Vital Farms egg eater, you don’t need to throw away the baby with the bathwater. Eggs are still an excellent source of high biological value protein, vitamin D, B-vitamins, iron and choline.

‘You’re getting so much value, even if it comes with linoleic acid. Zoom out and look at the big picture. Omega-6 is not the enemy in an otherwise balanced, nutritious diet, and especially if you also consume a good amount of Omega-3-rich foods as well.’