Butcher Paper Co. · Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper
Custom Butcher Paper
Standard butcher paper carries moderate PFAS risk, data unavailable.
Butcher paper often features water and grease resistant coatings that may contain PFAS. No public disclosure or third-party testing found for this brand.
The safe swap
Butcher Paper Co.
ULINE Butcher Paper Sheets
70/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned its C.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
cellulose paper, likely silicone or wax coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Butcher paper is cellulose base stock (wood pulp) with a functional coating, typically silicone or food-grade wax, applied to create grease and moisture barrier properties. The coating determines safety profile: silicone coatings are generally inert and heat-stable, while wax coatings vary by formulation and can degrade or migrate if overheated. Unbleached variants reduce chlorine-based residues but do not eliminate coating leaching risk under stress conditions.
The brand's record and disclosure
Butcher Paper Co. maintains no publicly accessible material safety data sheet (MSDS) or third-party certifications on their website or industry databases reviewed. The brand has not issued statements regarding PFAS content, heavy metal screening, or coating composition, which is standard practice for commodity food-contact paper suppliers. No recalls or safety incidents are recorded for this brand in CPSC or FDA databases as of current public record.
How it compares in its category
Butcher paper sits mid-tier for food wrapping safety. Uncoated kraft paper avoids coating leaching but sacrifices grease barrier. Premium certified-organic or PFOA-free certified butcher papers (from competitors) command higher cost and carry explicit third-party assurance. Butcher Paper Co. offers no such certification, placing it in the standard commercial category where PFAS and coating composition remain undisclosed industry-wide.
If you buy it
Use this product for room-temperature and light refrigeration storage only; do not use for direct contact with hot foods above 60°C (140°F) or in oven wrapping at high temperatures, as coating stability is unknown. Replace sheets if visible grease saturation, tears, or odor changes occur. Store in cool, dry conditions away from direct sunlight to prevent oxidative coating breakdown. For prolonged food contact (weeks) or repeated freezing cycles, rotate to fresh paper every 2-3 weeks to minimize potential migration.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Coating leaching (silicone or wax)
Without published composition data, silicone or wax coatings may leach low-molecular-weight components into fatty foods (meats, cheeses) under heat or prolonged contact. Risk is minimized below 60°C but cannot be ruled out for high-fat applications at room temperature over extended periods.
PFAS in coating formulation
Standard butcher paper industry uses PFAS-based water and grease repellents; Butcher Paper Co. silence on this matter suggests possible inclusion. Graded separately at 25/100 but represents material concern for frequent use with fatty foods.
Chlorine residues from bleaching
If bleached cellulose stock is used, residual chlorine compounds (organochlorines) may persist in paper fibers. Unbleached variants reduce this risk, but product labeling does not specify bleach status, so assessment assumes standard commercial processing.
Microplastic or fiber shedding
Cellulose paper does not generate microplastics. Fiber migration into food is theoretically possible if paper is wet or torn, but is not documented as a safety concern for butcher paper in food-safety literature.
Bacterial growth on paper surface
Paper is cellulose and can support microbial colonization if stored in warm, humid environments. This is a storage and handling issue rather than a manufacturing defect, but poor storage practices negate the barrier function of the coating.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 45% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper
Butcher Paper Co.
ULINE Butcher Paper Sheets
kraft paper, bleached or unbleached
Lower concern, but manufacturer silent on PFAS status.
⚠Risky category by default
Butcher Paper Co.
Pospaper Butcher Paper Sheets
bleached kraft paper
Lower concern. Standard butcher paper without grease-resistant coating.
⚠Risky category by default
Paper Mart
Stock Your Home Deli Paper Sheets 12 Inch Checkered Wrapping Paper Grease Resistant for Concession Fast Food Liners
Paper with unspecified grease-resistant coating
Skip until coating ingredients disclosed.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
More grease-resistant deli & butcher paper grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.