365 by Whole Foods · Microwave Popcorn
365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Reduced Fat And Sodium Popcorn
Likely contains PFAS in grease-resistant bag coating; details unavailable.
Microwave popcorn bags typically use PFAS-based grease barriers. Whole Foods makes no public disclosure about PFAS in this product. Limited transparency prevents confident assessment.
The better-graded swap
Wabash Valley
Wabash Valley Farms Sweet
70/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Good.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
paper/paperboard popcorn bag with grease-resistant coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic is made of, ingredients and materials
365 Organic Popcorn uses a paper or paperboard bag with a grease-resistant coating to prevent oil from saturating the package. That water and grease-repellent coating is the primary concern, conventional grease-resistant food packaging typically relies on PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") to achieve water and oil resistance. The PFAS chemistry is durable but persistent in the environment and body. Once PFAS migrates from packaging into food (especially during storage or contact with oily products), it does not break down.
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
PFAS
Paperboard popcorn bags almost universally rely on PFAS-based water and grease repellents. Whole Foods does not disclose coating composition, and the 365 brand has not committed to PFAS-free alternatives, making PFAS presence in this product likely.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastics
Repeated handling, friction, or minor bag degradation can cause coating particles to flake into the popcorn, especially in humid storage. No specific recalls or studies document this for 365 popcorn, but it is a known risk with coated paperboard packaging.
Source, EPA ↗What’s reassuring
Ink or adhesive residues
The bag printing and sealing use standard food-contact-compliant inks and adhesives. No documented contamination or recalls for 365 popcorn related to printing materials.
Bleached paperboard pulp residues
Food-grade paperboard is regulated for chlorine residues and dioxins. No known issues specific to 365 popcorn or Whole Foods' paperboard sourcing have been reported.
Heavy metals
PFAS-based coatings do not typically contain added heavy metals. Whole Foods does not use known archaic coatings with antimony or other metals in food packaging.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Whole Foods and its 365 line do not publicly disclose coating chemistry for their food packaging, including whether PFAS-free alternatives are used. The brand has not signed commitments (such as the Mind the Store pledge) to eliminate PFAS from food contact materials. Whole Foods markets 365 products on organic and sustainability credentials but has remained silent on persistent chemicals in packaging, creating a gap between brand promise and transparency on this specific hazard.
How it compares in its category
Most conventional popcorn bags in retail use PFAS-coated paperboard; 365 is not exceptional in this regard. Some smaller or premium popcorn brands now advertise PFAS-free or compostable packaging, though verification is inconsistent. Switching to loose, bulk popcorn or products in glass or metal containers eliminates this exposure pathway entirely. Whole Foods' silence on the issue puts it behind brands that have publicly committed to PFAS-free alternatives.
If you buy it
Store the popcorn in an airtight glass or metal container once opened to avoid prolonged contact with the coated bag. Do not heat the unopened bag in a microwave, as heat can increase PFAS migration into the product. Use and finish the product within a few weeks of purchase; long-term storage in the original coated bag increases exposure. Consider transitioning to bulk popcorn kernels you pop yourself in a covered pot or air popper to eliminate packaging exposure.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- 365 by Whole Foods has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Microwave Popcorn
Quaker
Butter Popcorn Rice Cakes
- puffed rice cakes in paperboard packaging
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Mold or bacterial growth in packaging
Trader Joe's
2 Packs Trader Joe's Synergistically Seasoned Popcorn 5.5 Oz Each Pack
- paperboard popcorn bag, grease-resistant interior lining
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Moisture and mold risk if bag is compromised
Wabash Valley
Farms Sweet
- paper-based food packaging with standard coating
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Ink migration (printing on exterior or interior)
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
More microwave popcorn 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.