Intermark · Butcher & Deli Paper
Big Green Egg Butcher Paper
Butcher paper likely treated with PFAS; no public disclosure available.
Butcher paper traditionally uses fluorochemical water-repellent coating coatings for grease resistance, a common PFAS source. Big Green Egg brand makes no public PFAS statement on this product.
The safe swap
Aplin Films
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
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
Paper with grease-resistant 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
Big Green Egg Butcher Paper is kraft paper (cellulose pulp) with a grease-resistant coating applied to both sides. The coating is the critical component: it prevents oil and moisture penetration, which is essential for wrapping fatty meat without paper breakdown. Grease-resistant coatings on food-contact paper are conventionally treated with fluorochemicals (PFAS) or, less commonly, silicone or wax blends; Intermark does not publicly specify which class is used here, which is the main safety issue.
The brand's record and disclosure
Intermark Electronics (the parent company behind Big Green Egg accessories) maintains minimal public disclosure on chemical content or sourcing standards for this product line. No independent certifications (e.g., FDA compliance statements, third-party chemical testing, or PFAS-free claims) are publicly documented for this butcher paper. The brand has not responded to industry pressure to eliminate or label PFAS in food-contact products, contrasting with competitors who now offer PFAS-free or explicitly labeled alternatives.
How it compares in its category
Butcher paper is a commodity product; most major suppliers (Reynolds, Serious Eats suppliers, restaurant-grade brands) use fluorochemical coatings by default for durability. A small but growing subset now markets PFAS-free alternatives (silicone or paraffin-based coatings), though these are less widely stocked. Big Green Egg Butcher Paper sits in the conventional treated category with no differentiation. Price and availability are competitive; safety profile is typical for the mass-market segment but behind the emerging premium tier.
If you buy it
Use this paper only for wrapping unheated or briefly heated meat (smoking up to 275F is standard; direct flame contact should be avoided as it may degrade coating and release fumes). Do not reuse sheets; dispose after single use. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent humidity-induced coating breakdown. If concerned about PFAS ingestion, consider PFAS-free butcher paper alternatives (search for 'PFAS-free' or 'silicone-coated' butcher paper) for long-term use, especially if you smoke frequently.
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.”
Fluorochemical (PFAS) coating
Standard grease-resistant treatment on butcher paper typically relies on PFAS; no public label or certification from Intermark excludes this. At smoking temperatures (200-275F), coating should remain stable, but direct high heat or char may release volatiles.
Microplastics or coating shedding
If coating degrades due to moisture, age, or heat stress, small particles may transfer to food. No reported incidents for this brand, but long-term storage or reuse increases risk.
Inks or dyes on printed side
If the paper is printed with branding or instructions, food-contact side should be barrier-free. Standard butcher paper products comply with FDA regulations for food-contact ink migration, but Intermark provides no printed-side safety data sheet.
Unreacted coating chemicals
If the fluorochemical or silicone coating is incompletely cured during manufacture, trace unreacted monomers could leach into fatty foods (fat is a solvent for some coating residues). Industry standard controls reduce but do not eliminate this risk; Intermark does not disclose QA testing.
Bacterial growth from reuse
If paper is washed and reused (not recommended by most manufacturers), moisture retention in the substrate can harbor pathogens. This is a user-error hazard, not a product defect.
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 Butcher & Deli Paper
Aplin Films
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
Natural bleached kraft paper, no specified coating
Lower concern. Uncoated butcher paper unlikely to contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Safeseal
IDL Packaging PFAS-Free Grease-Proof Paper Sheets
grease-proof paper with unspecified water/grease-resistant coating
Claim unverified; grease-proof coatings historically use PFAS.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Sappi Fine Papers
IDL Packaging PFAS-Free Grease-Proof Paper Sheets
paper with grease-resistant coating
Brand claims PFAS-free. No independent verification found. Proceed with caution.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
More butcher & deli 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.