The Best Non-Toxic Microwave Popcorn of 2026
We scored 20 microwave popcorn for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Cheddar Blast Puffs at 70/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.
90% of the 20 microwave popcorn we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
The safest PFAS-free microwave popcorn we have scored
- 1
Pirate's Booty
Cheddar Blast Puffs
paperboard bag with standard food-contact lining
PFAS Grade70GoodOverall Grade58Good⛏️70Polymer food-contact lining leaching
Limited concern
🫧70Microplastic fragmentation
Limited concern
⚠️70Moisture barrier failure and mold/bacterial growth
Limited concern
Lower concern snack. Standard food packaging, no known PFAS triggers.
⚠Risky category by default
- 2
Pirate's Booty
Aged White Cheddar Pokemon Puffs
paper/cardboard packaging, puffed corn snack
PFAS Grade70GoodOverall Grade66Good⚠️70Mold or mycotoxin growth on damp packaging
Limited concern
Lower concern; typical snack packaging without known PFAS treatment.
⚠Risky category by default
The microwave popcorn we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.
Pirate's Booty
Popcorn - 40 ct
grease-resistant bag liner, composition unspecified
PFAS
High concern
Limited info on bag liner treatment.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Pirate's Booty
SkinnyPop & Pirate’s Booty Grab & Go Assortment Popcorn & Puffs
paper-based food packaging with grease-resistant coating
PFAS
High concern
Coating migration under temperature stress
Limited concern
Grease-resistant food packaging; PFAS use undisclosed by brand.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Angie's BoomChickaPop Microwave Popcorn Sea Salt
microwave popcorn bag with grease-resistant paper lining
PFAS
High concern
Thermal degradation of bag coatings
Limited concern
Mineral oil or paraffin in coating
Limited concern
Off-gassing or odor compounds from bag lining
Limited concern
Microwave popcorn bags likely contain PFAS for grease resistance.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
What we check on microwave popcorn
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The microwave popcorn brands that will not say
4 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.
, Microwave Popcorn, Pirate's Booty, Skinny Pop.
Common questions about PFAS-free microwave popcorn
Is microwave popcorn PFAS free?
Mostly not. Of the 20 microwave popcorn we have scored, 90% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 2 that pass. The highest scoring is Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Cheddar Blast Puffs at 70 out of 100. The lowest is Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Popcorn - 40 ct at 25.
What is the safest microwave popcorn you have scored?
Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Cheddar Blast Puffs, at 70 out of 100, which we band as Good. It is paperboard bag with standard food-contact lining. The runner up is Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Pokemon Puffs at 70.
Which microwave popcorn should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Pirate's Booty Pirate's Booty Popcorn - 40 ct at 25, Pirate's Booty SkinnyPop & Pirate’s Booty Grab & Go Assortment Popcorn & Puffs at 25, Angie's BoomChickaPop Microwave Popcorn Sea Salt at 25. The problem with the first is that limited info on bag liner treatment. Avoid if PFAS-sensitive.
Which microwave popcorn brands will not say whether they use PFAS?
4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including , Microwave Popcorn, Pirate's Booty, Skinny Pop. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test microwave popcorn?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
Get the safe list, free
The products we score each week, and the safest alternative in every category.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Microwave Popcorn: Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 20 microwave popcorn.