Kotkamills · Butcher & Deli Paper
12" - Butcher Paper Rolls Roll
Butcher paper has grease barrier; PFAS risk unclear without disclosure.
Kotkamills butcher paper is kraft-based with waterproofing treatment common in food packaging. Brand does not disclose PFAS or barrier composition, limiting confidence in PFAS absence.
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
kraft paper with moisture/grease barrier 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
Kotkamills butcher paper is kraft paper (cellulose fibers from wood pulp) with a moisture and grease barrier coating applied to the surface. The coating prevents fats and liquids from penetrating or bleeding through, which is essential for wrapping fresh meat and fish. Kraft paper itself is inert, but the barrier layer's chemical identity, whether PFAS-based Teflon-family coating, wax, or alternative barriers, is not disclosed by the brand and materially affects safety during contact with warm or fatty foods.
The brand's record and disclosure
Kotkamills, a Finnish packaging manufacturer, does not publicly disclose the specific chemistry of its grease-barrier coatings on product sheets or safety documentation reviewed in public sources. No certifications such as GOTS, FSC, or specific fluorine-free claims are prominently listed. The brand has not issued statements addressing PFAS in food-contact coatings, leaving the grease-barrier formulation opaque to consumers. This silence is noteworthy because many conventional butcher papers use PFAS-based coatings, and transparency is absent here.
How it compares in its category
Standard butcher paper (bleached or unbleached kraft with barrier coatings) is common and widely assumed food-safe. Alternatives include plastic film (higher microplastic risk under heat), silicone-coated paper (more transparent supply chains but higher cost), or wax-paper (lower water resistance). Kotkamills is mid-market pricing and performance typical of European kraft suppliers. Without explicit PFAS-free certification, it occupies the uncertain middle: likely compliant with EU food regulations (which have tightened PFAS rules) but not independently verified against fluorine content.
If you buy it
Use this paper for room-temperature or cool storage (wrapping chilled meat, deli counter use). Avoid prolonged direct contact with hot foods above 70C (158F) or fatty/oily foods left in contact for hours, as heat and lipophilic substances can mobilize any coating compounds. Store in a cool, dry place to prevent degradation of the barrier layer. Replace rolls if the paper tears, becomes damp, or the grease barrier visibly breaks down; do not reuse compromised sheets for food contact.
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.”
Fluorinated grease-barrier coatings (likely PFAS-adjacent)
Kotkamills does not disclose whether the moisture/grease barrier is PFAS-based or alternative chemistry. Most conventional butcher papers use per- or polyfluoroalkyl compounds; EU regulations are tightening but this product's specific formulation is unconfirmed. Migration to fatty foods cannot be ruled out without analytical data.
Coating degradation and food contact migration
Repeated contact with hot, fatty, or acidic foods can degrade polymer coatings over time. If the barrier layer separates or flakes, micro-particles may transfer to food. Kotkamills provides no guidance on temperature limits or shelf-life for the barrier integrity.
Chlorine residues from kraft pulping and bleaching
Modern kraft paper production includes chlorine-free bleaching stages in EU facilities, and Kotkamills operates in Finland under EU standards. No recalls or contamination events for chlorinated residues in Kotkamills butcher paper are on record. Residual chlorine in food-contact paper is rare with current practice.
Heavy metals or pigments in inks or coatings
Kotkamills butcher paper is typically unprinted (plain kraft or coated surface). Printing inks, if present on rolls, are not detailed in public product specs. No contamination recalls involving Kotkamills paper are documented.
Microbes or bacterial growth on paper surface
Paper rolls stored dry and at normal temperature do not support pathogenic growth. Mold or mildew can develop in damp conditions, but this is a storage failure, not a manufacturing defect specific to Kotkamills. No food-safety advisories for microbial contamination in this product line are on record.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 55% 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.