Safeway Brand · Butcher Paper & Meat Wrapping
Butcher BBQ Pink Butcher Paper
Butcher paper typically uses PFAS coatings; Safeway brand discloses nothing.
Pink butcher paper is commonly treated with fluorinated compounds for grease resistance. No public PFAS disclosure or testing available for this brand. Consider asking the manufacturer directly.
The safe swap
LEM
LEM 15" Freezer Paper Cutter
80/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned its B.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
paper with water/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
Butcher BBQ Pink Butcher Paper is bleached kraft paper with a water and grease-resistant coating applied to the surface. The coating's composition is not disclosed by Safeway, but butcher papers in this category typically use fluorinated compounds (PFAS) or wax-based treatments to achieve moisture and fat resistance. The pink color itself is a food-safe dye and poses no known hazard at the levels used in food-contact paper.
The brand's record and disclosure
Safeway (owned by Albertsons) has made no public commitment to eliminate PFAS from food-contact packaging and does not disclose coating chemistry for this product. The company has not released a formal PFAS elimination timeline or third-party testing results. This silence is consistent with most U.S. store-brand butcher papers, where ingredient transparency remains industry-wide weak.
How it compares in its category
Most butcher papers on the market, including premium brands like Alinea and Cookina, rely on PFAS-based or paraffin coatings to achieve grease-resistance. Uncoated or wax-coated alternatives exist but are less common in retail and perform differently in high-heat smoking. Safeway's product is priced competitively but offers no differentiation in safety transparency versus competitors.
If you buy it
Use this product for cold storage, wrapping, and room-temperature transport without concern for non-PFAS hazards. Avoid direct contact with open flame or temperatures above 400F, as the coating may degrade or off-gas if overheated. For smoking at high temperatures (above 250F sustained), consider moving meat to uncoated foil after initial wrap, or confirm your smoker stays below 275F. Replace if coating shows visible wear, browning, or separation from paper.
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 degradation and off-gassing at high heat
If used in smokers or direct-heat applications above 300F, the moisture-barrier coating (likely Teflon-type coating or wax-based) may degrade or release vapors. No recalls exist for Safeway brand, but generic risk applies to all coated butcher papers in high-heat contexts.
Microplastics from coating wear
Intact coating does not shed microplastics into food under normal handling and storage. Risk only emerges if paper is heavily manipulated, torn, or abraded; no evidence of this issue reported for this product.
BPA or BPS in coating
Modern food-contact coatings rarely use BPA/BPS; fluorinated compounds (PFAS) are the primary concern. No public data suggests Safeway brand uses phenolic coatings, but chemistry remains undisclosed.
Ink or dye migration from pink color
FDA-approved colorants in food-contact paper are stable and non-migratory at room temperature. The pink dye used here is standard in the category and poses no established hazard.
Chlorine bleaching residues
Kraft paper is typically bleached with chlorine or hydrogen peroxide; residual chlorine is not a hazard in food contact at regulatory levels. No specific concern for Safeway brand versus competitors.
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 Paper & Meat Wrapping
LEM
15" Freezer Paper Cutter
stainless steel blade, bare metal construction
Lower concern. Bare metal tool with no coatings identified.
⚠Risky category by default
Compactor
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
natural kraft butcher paper, no coating specified
Lower concern. Uncoated kraft paper unlikely to contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Compactor
Staples Butcher Paper Roll
cellulose paper, uncoated or minimally treated
Lower concern. Butcher paper is typically uncoated cellulose.
⚠Risky category by default
More butcher paper & meat wrapping 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.