PFAS are the chemicals that used to make paper packaging resist grease. They worked extremely well, which is why they ended up in burger wraps, fry cartons, bakery bags and takeout boxes for decades. They are now being designed out of foodservice paper, and if you buy packaging you will increasingly be asked to show that yours is free of them.
Here is what the term means, what changed, and what to actually ask a supplier.
Quick answers
PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large family of fluorinated chemicals.
In food packaging they were used as grease-proofing agents on paper and board.
In February 2024 the FDA announced that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS were no longer being sold for food-contact use in the United States.
A number of US states have their own bans on intentionally added PFAS in food packaging, with varying scope and dates.
"PFAS-free" is a supplier claim. Ask for it in writing, per item.
What PFAS were doing in your packaging
Paper does not naturally resist grease. Left untreated, a paper bag holding a hot sandwich goes translucent and then goes through.
The traditional fix was a fluorochemical treatment applied to the board. It was cheap, it was effective at very low coating weights, and it did not change how the paper looked or felt. For grease resistance it was close to ideal.
The problem is persistence. PFAS compounds break down very slowly in the environment and in the body, which is where the "forever chemicals" label comes from. That persistence, rather than any specific effect on a single meal, is what drove the regulation.
What actually changed
Two things happened in parallel, and they are often confused.
The FDA route. In February 2024 the FDA announced that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS were no longer being sold for use in food contact applications in the US market. This came through voluntary agreements with manufacturers rather than a ban, and it addressed the main route by which PFAS entered food packaging.
The state route. Separately, a number of US states have passed their own laws restricting intentionally added PFAS in food packaging. The scope, the thresholds and the effective dates vary by state, and the list has been growing.
The practical effect for a restaurant operator is the same either way. Grease-resistant paper packaging sold into the US market is moving to non-fluorinated alternatives, and buyers are being asked to document it.
If you need to know exactly what applies to you, check your own state's current requirements or ask your supplier to confirm compliance for the states you operate in. State law in this area has been changing year to year and anything written down goes out of date quickly.
What replaced it
Non-fluorinated grease resistance is achieved a few different ways, and they do not all perform identically.
Mechanical density. Refining the pulp so the sheet itself is tighter and less permeable. No coating at all. Good for moderate grease, less good for hot oil sitting in contact for a long time.
Non-fluorinated coatings and sizing agents. Applied treatments that are not PFAS-based. Performance varies by formulation.
Film or laminate layers. A physical barrier. Very effective, but it changes recyclability and compostability, which may matter more to you than the grease resistance did.
The honest summary is that non-fluorinated grease resistance is now good enough for the overwhelming majority of foodservice uses, and it is not quite as effortless as what it replaced. Extremely oily items held hot for a long time are where you will notice the difference. Test with your actual food before you commit to a large run.
What to ask a supplier
"Is it PFAS-free?" is a weak question because the answer is always yes.
Better questions:
"Can you confirm PFAS-free in writing, for this item?" Get it per item, not as a general statement about the company. A supplier's bags and their takeout boxes may come from different mills.
"Is that no intentionally added PFAS, or tested to a threshold?" These are different claims. Most state laws are written around intentionally added PFAS. Some buyers, particularly larger chains, will want test data against a total fluorine or total organic fluorine threshold.
"What is the food contact documentation?" Separate from PFAS. Paper and board and their coatings fall under the FDA rules in 21 CFR 176 and 177. Ask for this whether or not PFAS comes up.
"How does it perform with hot oil?" Not a compliance question, a practical one. Ask for samples and put your greasiest menu item in one.
Keep the answers. The moment you sell to a larger buyer, cater a corporate account, or get asked by a local authority, the paperwork is what settles it. A supplier who cannot produce it on request will not produce it then either.
Where it matters most on a menu
Grease resistance is not needed everywhere, and paying for it everywhere is a waste.
High need. Fried food, burgers, anything held hot with oil in contact. Fry cartons, burger boxes, sandwich bags.
Moderate need. Bakery items with butter content, pastries, pizza.
Low need. Dry goods, retail bags, cold items, bakery boxes for cakes and donuts.
Splitting your order this way is usually cheaper than specifying the highest grease resistance across the whole range.
Minimums, if you are reordering
Switching packaging is a reasonable moment to consolidate suppliers, so the minimums are worth knowing.
Paper bags run at a minimum of 5,000. Grease-resistant and PFAS-free options are available.
Takeout boxes run at 10,000 per size for some formats, and 5,000 per size for lunch boxes, trays, pails and pizza.
Bakery boxes run at 5,000 per size.
Per size, in each case, not per order. Pricing comes back at two quantity breaks in two business days. Production is 6 to 8 weeks by sea and moves faster on repeat runs of the same artwork, which is worth planning around if you are switching a whole range at once.
A note on how you word claims
Be careful about what goes on the packaging itself.
"PFAS-free" is defensible if your supplier has confirmed it in writing and you keep that confirmation. Broader environmental claims are harder. A box that is grease-resistant because it has a film layer may not be compostable, and printing both words on it is the kind of thing that gets challenged.
Say the specific true thing. It holds up better than the general impressive one.
Where to go next
For grease-resistant and PFAS-free bag options, see custom paper bags.
For burger boxes, trays, pails and pizza boxes, see custom takeout boxes. For cake, pastry and donut boxes, see custom bakery boxes.
For the full foodservice range and the compliance documentation in plain terms, see custom food packaging.
