Food Products
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
Brand: Mcdonald'S. Consider safer alternatives in Food Products category
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets is currently classified as moderate concern in the NonToxic.com database, with a 72/100 comparative safety score. DEHP measured at 3168. Scored relative to other Food Products products in this database. Panel of 18 plasticizers and bisphenols across 3 lab samples; 3 detected. DEHP-equivalents under 1% of the EFSA adult tolerable daily intake (0.09%). This is a shopping comparison aid, not a medical or regulatory determination.
DEHP signal3168
MicroplasticsNot tested (dataset covers plasticizers and bisphenols)
Test year2024
Evidence confidence
Medium confidence
Confidence reflects whether source, year, and measured contamination fields are available.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Study source | PlasticList (plasticlist.org) |
| Year tested | 2024 |
| Contamination source | Unknown |
| Polymer types | Various |
| DEHP signal | 3168 |
| Microplastics signal | Not tested (dataset covers plasticizers and bisphenols) |
Full laboratory panel · PlasticList
3 samples analyzed, collected 2024-07-20 from McDonald's, 696 N Mathilda Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085. Methods: QuEChERS, Phthalates and Substitutes; QuEChERS, Bisphenols. Values shown are the worst observed across samples. DEHP-equivalents: 3168 ng/serving. Share of EFSA tolerable daily intake — adult (70 kg): 0.09%, toddler (14 kg): 0.5%.
| Analyte | Result |
|---|---|
| DEHP | 33 ng/g · 3168 ng/serving |
| DBP | <LOQ (10 ng/g) |
| BBP | <LOQ (5 ng/g) |
| DINP | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| DIDP | <LOQ (100 ng/g) |
| DEP | <LOQ (10 ng/g) |
| DMP | <LOQ (5 ng/g) |
| DIBP | <LOQ (10 ng/g) |
| DNHP | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| DCHP | <LOQ (10 ng/g) |
| DNOP | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| BPA | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| BPS | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| BPF | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| DEHT | 740 ng/g · 71040 ng/serving |
| DEHA | 10 ng/g · 960 ng/serving |
| DINCH | <LOQ (1 ng/g) |
| DIDA | <LOQ (100 ng/g) |
Source: PlasticList record for this product (plasticlist.org, Light Labs, 2024). PlasticList describes these results as a snapshot suitable as a starting point for further work — not solid enough on their own to draw high-confidence conclusions. Our comparative score inherits that uncertainty.
How to interpret this product record.
This page is a comparison aid for food products, not a toxin-free certification. Use the score with the source, test year, contaminant fields, packaging context, and safer alternatives before making a purchase decision.
The most useful next step is to compare McDonald's Chicken McNuggets against other food products records with stronger source confidence. A low score with clear source fields should be treated as a priority review signal, while a higher score with unknown source, year, or contaminant fields should still be checked before relying on it. Subscribe or request a retest when the record is important to a daily-use product, child-use product, or food-contact decision.
Product FAQ
Common questions about McDonald's Chicken McNuggets.
Is McDonald's Chicken McNuggets a lower-concern product?
NonToxic.com currently classifies McDonald's Chicken McNuggets as moderate concern with a 72/100 score. DEHP measured at 3168. Scored relative to other Food Products products in this database. Panel of 18 plasticizers and bisphenols across 3 lab samples; 3 detected. DEHP-equivalents under 1% of the EFSA adult tolerable daily intake (0.09%).
What evidence is available for McDonald's Chicken McNuggets?
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets currently lists PlasticList (plasticlist.org) as the study source, 2024 as the test year, 3168 as the DEHP signal, and Not tested (dataset covers plasticizers and bisphenols) as the microplastics signal. The evidence label is medium confidence.
What should I compare McDonald's Chicken McNuggets against?
Compare McDonald's Chicken McNuggets with other Food Products products and prioritize items with stronger source quality, newer testing, lower contamination indicators, and higher safety scores.
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