Ritz · Food Packaging
Ritz Fresh Stacks Crackers
Packaged snack with minimal PFAS risk, but no brand transparency.
Ritz Fresh Stacks uses standard paperboard and plastic packaging without known PFAS-prone coatings. Brand makes no PFAS claims. Lower concern for typical cracker packaging.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
paperboard box, plastic sleeve
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
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
Ritz Fresh Stacks are packaged in a paperboard box lined with a plastic sleeve, typical for shelf-stable snack crackers. The plastic liner is a barrier against moisture and oxygen; at room temperature, this material does not leach BPA, phthalates, or other plasticizers into dry food. Paperboard itself is inert under non-aqueous conditions and poses no leaching risk. The concern with such packaging is primarily PFAS in coatings (grease resistance) rather than the base polymers.
The brand's record and disclosure
Mondelez International (Ritz's parent company) has not published detailed transparency on PFAS or fluorinated coatings in snack packaging as of available public records. The company has made general sustainability commitments but remains silent on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance use in food-contact materials. No major recalls or contamination incidents are on record for Ritz crackers related to packaging migration.
How it compares in its category
Ritz Fresh Stacks sits at the industry standard for shelf-stable cracker packaging: paperboard exterior plus plastic sleeve. Competitor products (Cheez-It, Trident) use similar constructions. Unlike single-use plastic pouches, the cardboard outer layer reduces pure plastic contact surface, which modestly lowers potential chemical exposure compared to fully plastic-wrapped alternatives. However, all major snack manufacturers remain largely opaque on PFAS in grease-resistant coatings.
If you buy it
Store the box at room temperature away from direct heat or sunlight; no special handling is required. Do not microwave crackers in the sleeve or wrapper. The packaging is single-use; once opened, transfer uneaten crackers to an airtight container if storing longer than 1-2 weeks to maintain crispness. Recycling: check local programs for mixed-material (paperboard plus plastic) acceptability; many facilities cannot process the layered structure.
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.”
BPA / BPS in plastic sleeve
Modern food-contact plastics in major snack brands have phased out BPA; Ritz uses polypropylene or similar non-polycarbonate materials that do not intentionally contain BPA or BPS. No reports of BPA detection in this product.
Phthalate plasticizers
Phthalates are not used in rigid or semi-rigid food-contact plastics under FDA food contact substance guidelines. The plastic sleeve in Ritz Fresh Stacks is not formulated with phthalates.
Microplastics shedding from packaging
Degradation of plastic film under heat or mechanical stress can theoretically shed microplastics; however, Fresh Stacks packaging is designed for low-temperature, low-moisture storage. Microplastic ingestion from cracker packaging under normal use is negligible.
Fluorinated greaseproofing coatings (PFAS-adjacent)
Paperboard grease barriers in snack crackers often use PFAS-based coatings. While this is addressed separately in the PFAS grade, the mechanism involves fluorinated polymers that may persist in the environment post-disposal. Mondelez has not disclosed use or alternatives.
Chlorine bleaching residues in paperboard
Paperboard used in food packaging is bleached during pulping; residual chlorine species are not a known contamination pathway in finished cracker packaging under FDA monitoring.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 72% 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 Food Packaging
World Centric
Compostable Fiber Compost-A-Pak Containers
Fiber-based (wood pulp/molded fiber), compostable coating
Lower-concern choice; compostable fiber with documented PFAS-free commitments, though independent lab confirmation on this specific SKU is absent.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Vegware
Compostable Microflute Takeaway Box
Plant-based fiber (sugarcane bagasse microflute); water-based coatings
Lower-concern choice; plant-based compostable packaging with transparent PFAS-free positioning, though lab test availability is limited.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Loliware
Compostable Hinged Deli Containers
Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic, plant-based coatings
Lower PFAS concern; compostable bioplastic design avoids legacy fluorine coatings typical in food packaging.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More food packaging 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.