By PFAS Authority · Updated August 28, 2026
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Model-based grades, not lab tests. We flunk more than we pass. How grading works
PFAS in Microwave Popcorn, Every Major Brand Graded
We graded 76 microwave and bagged popcorn products from Orville Redenbacher's, Pop Secret, ACT II, SkinnyPop, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Newman's Own, Jolly Time, Kirkland Signature, Great Value, Smartfood and others. 55 of them grade 25 out of 100. The reason is the same every time, a bag with a grease-resistant lining whose chemistry is not stated, from a maker that says nothing about PFAS.
That is not a finding that these bags contain PFAS. The US Food and Drug Administration announced on 28 February 2024 that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the US, and it named microwave popcorn bags among the packaging they had been used on. What our grade reflects is that no popcorn maker here has said what its bag lining is made of instead.
Summary comparison table
| Product | PFAS grade | Packaging as recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paper bag, grease-resistant coating |
| Pop Secret Homestyle Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paperboard bag, grease-resistant coating |
| ACT II Butter Lovers Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Grease-resistant coated paperboard |
| SkinnyPop Butter Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Bag with grease-resistant inner coating |
| Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP Sea Salt Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paper bag, grease-resistant coating |
| Newman's Own Organic Butter Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paperboard bag, grease-resistant coating |
| Jolly Time Simply Popped Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Kraft paper bag, grease-resistant coating |
| Kirkland Signature Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paper bag, grease-resistant coating |
| Great Value Classic Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn | Poor, 25/100 | Paper bag, grease-resistant coating |
How we graded these
Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from publicly available product information and manufacturer disclosures, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. Across the 58 products the spread is three at 70 and 55 at 25. No popcorn maker in this category has a PFAS statement or third-party verification on record. Puffed corn snacks that had been filed here are excluded. Look up any product in our PFAS product finder.
Why organic and premium brands grade the same
The grade is about the bag, not the corn. Newman's Own organic popcorn, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and SkinnyPop grade exactly where Great Value and Kirkland Signature do, because every one of them is recorded with a grease-resistant bag lining and no PFAS statement. Organic certification covers how the corn is grown. It says nothing about the packaging.
A correction to this guide
An earlier version of this guide named two Pirate's Booty puffed snacks as the best-graded products in this category. They are not microwave popcorn, they were filed here by mistake, and we have removed them. The three products that grade above 25 have records that are inconsistent with near-identical bags at 25, so we are not recommending them on the strength of those grades.
What to do instead
The simplest way to avoid the question is to skip the treated bag. Plain popcorn kernels popped on the stove in a pot, or in a microwave popper made of glass or silicone, involve no grease-resistant paper at all. That is general advice about packaging rather than a grade, because we have not graded kernels or poppers in this category.
What to avoid
- Assuming organic, non-GMO or simple-ingredient marketing covers the bag. None of those claims is about packaging.
- Reading 25 as proof of PFAS. It reflects a grease-resistant lining with no chemistry stated and no PFAS statement.
- Reheating or re-using microwave popcorn bags for other food.
For other grease-resistant paper, see our food packaging guide and grease-resistant parchment guide.
Our pick
Based on available materials and data, we cannot point you to a bagged microwave popcorn that grades well, because every major brand we graded sits at 25 for the same reason. If PFAS in packaging is your concern, pop plain kernels in a pot or a glass or silicone popper. These grades are estimates built from disclosed materials, not laboratory proof, and nothing here is being called PFAS-free or safe by us.
FAQ
Does microwave popcorn still have PFAS?
The FDA announced on 28 February 2024 that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the US. No popcorn maker we graded says what its bag lining uses now, so our grades stay at 25 until one does. We have not tested any bag.
Is Orville Redenbacher's popcorn PFAS-free?
We cannot confirm that. Orville Redenbacher's microwave popcorn is recorded with a grease-resistant paper bag and no PFAS statement from the brand, and grades 25 like every other major brand here.
Is organic microwave popcorn safer for PFAS?
Not in our data. Organic microwave popcorn from Newman's Own and 365 by Whole Foods grades 25, the same as conventional brands, because the grade is about the bag.
What is the lowest-PFAS way to make popcorn?
Popping plain kernels on the stove or in a glass or silicone popper avoids treated paper altogether. We describe that as a packaging choice, not a graded finding.
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