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In a controlled 2024 comparison of five ways to cook chicken breast, air frying produced the lowest reported peak PM2.5 and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations. That is a result for the study’s food and setup—not proof that air fryers always produce less indoor pollution. Other studies have found higher emissions for some air-fried foods and pollutants.
What the 2024 cooking comparison found
A University of Birmingham-led study published in Indoor Air cooked chicken breast by pan-frying, stir-frying, deep-fat frying, boiling, and air frying in a controlled research kitchen. It measured peak concentrations of PM2.5, a fine-particle pollutant, and VOCs. Air frying recorded the lowest peak value for each of those measures in this particular comparison.
| Method | Peak PM2.5 | Peak VOCs |
|---|---|---|
| Pan-frying | 92.9 μg/m³ | 260 ppb |
| Stir-frying | 26.7 μg/m³ | 110 ppb |
| Deep-fat frying | 7.7 μg/m³ | 230 ppb |
| Boiling | 0.7 μg/m³ | 30 ppb |
| Air frying | 0.6 μg/m³ | 20 ppb |
These are peak concentrations reported for the study’s chicken-breast protocol, not typical levels in every home. The study did not establish a general ranking for all foods, air-fryer models, oil amounts, temperatures, or kitchen ventilation conditions. Read the 2024 study.
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Why the result is not a universal air-fryer ranking
Other food-and-method comparisons differ
A 2023 study comparing a domestic air fryer with pan cooking reported PM10 emission factors for air-fried chicken wings and chicken breast that were 2.1 and 5.4 times the pan-cooking values, respectively. It also reported higher VOC emission factors for air-fried French fries and chicken breast. An emission factor is not the same measure as a peak room concentration, and the foods and study conditions differed from the 2024 chicken-breast comparison. The findings therefore do not create a direct contradiction, but they do rule out treating the 2024 result as a blanket claim about every air-fried meal. See the 2023 air-fryer study.
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A 2026 chamber study found substantial variation between dishes
A chamber study published online on January 27, 2026, measured VOCs, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and ultrafine particles (UFPs) from 12 dishes cooked in a domestic air fryer. Reported emission rates ranged from 17.8 to 184.0 μg/min for total cooking VOCs, 24.6 to 37.9 μg/min for NOx, and 0.1 to 17.4 × 1012 particles/min for UFPs. Those are chamber emission rates, not household exposure measurements. The study found substantial differences among dishes; only high-fat foods produced UFP concentrations comparable to deep frying in the study’s comparisons.
The authors also scaled chamber measurements to a modeled 15 m³ kitchen and estimated substantially lower concentrations than conventional frying. That estimate is a model-based translation, not a survey of actual kitchens. Read the 2026 chamber study.
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What the studies say about cleaning and ventilation
Residue may affect emissions
In the 2026 chamber study, runs with an empty appliance showed increases of 23% in VOC and 236% in UFP concentrations after residues had accumulated in inaccessible areas over more than 70 uses. This finding applies to the tested appliance and use history; it does not establish a universal cleaning interval or the size of the effect for other models.
Ventilation is relevant, but no specific product is established as best
Cooking style, hot oils, temperature, and ventilation can all affect indoor pollution, according to the UK government’s 2022 Indoor Air Quality Report. A separate study found statistically significant PM2.5 reductions from a portable air cleaner in the poorly ventilated domestic kitchen it tested. That result does not identify the best purifier or show how a particular cleaner performs with an air fryer. See the portable-air-cleaner study.
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How to interpret the evidence
- For chicken breast in the 2024 test: air frying had the lowest reported peak PM2.5 and VOC concentrations among the five methods tested.
- For other foods and pollutants: results can differ; studies have reported higher air-fryer PM10 or VOC emissions for particular foods and comparisons.
- For indoor exposure: a chamber emission rate, a peak concentration in a research kitchen, and a modeled kitchen concentration are different kinds of evidence. They should not be combined into one universal pollution score.
- For appliance choice: the cited studies did not compare retail brands or models, so they do not establish which air fryer produces the least pollution.
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