365 by Whole Foods · Microwave Popcorn
365 Everyday Value 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic No Oil or Salt Microwave Popcorn
Microwave popcorn bags commonly use PFAS grease barriers; brand silent on content.
Microwave popcorn bags typically contain PFAS-based water and grease repellent coatings to prevent leakage. Whole Foods has not disclosed coating composition, leaving composition uncertain.
The better-graded swap
Trader Joe's
2 Packs Trader Joe's Synergistically Seasoned Popcorn 5.5 Oz Each Pack
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/kraft bag with greaseproof coating, likely PFAS-based
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What 365 Everyday Value 365 by Whole Foods is made of, ingredients and materials
This product uses a kraft paper bag lined with a greaseproof (water and oil resistant) coating, standard in microwave popcorn packaging to prevent grease migration during heating. The coating is almost certainly fluorinated (PFAS-based), though 365/Whole Foods does not disclose this publicly. When the bag is microwaved, the coating may release PFAS compounds into the popcorn, particularly if the bag is heated above recommended temperatures or if the coating degrades.
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
Standard fluorinated barrier in microwave popcorn bags; this product's coating composition is not disclosed by the brand, but no PFAS-free alternative has been announced.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastics
Repeated heating or storage near heat sources can degrade the kraft substrate and coating; no specific recalls or reports exist for this brand, but material fragmentation is a theoretical risk.
Source, EPA ↗Thermal migration of coating additives
Microwave heating may cause non-PFAS additives in the greaseproof layer to leach into food; the extent and chemical identity of such additives are not publicly disclosed for this product.
What’s reassuring
Inorganic contaminants in paper substrate
No heavy metals or contaminants have been reported in 365-brand or Whole Foods kraft paper packaging; organic sourcing claims suggest standard food-safety vetting.
The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Whole Foods Market and its 365 brand have not published specific disclosures about PFAS use in microwave popcorn bags or food packaging generally. The parent company (Amazon) has made some corporate sustainability commitments but has not prioritized PFAS phase-out in food contact applications. No recalls or safety warnings have been issued for this specific product. The brand does tout organic certification and minimal ingredient lists, but packaging material transparency remains a gap.
How it compares in its category
Virtually all conventional microwave popcorn bags (including organic brands) rely on fluorinated grease barriers to prevent oil leakage during heating; this product is not an outlier in that respect. Some competitors (e.g.(simple stovetop popcorn, air-popped alternatives) use packaging not linked to PFAS-based greaseproof coatings. Within the microwave popcorn category, 365's organic certification and salt/oil-free formulation are modest differentiators, but they do not address the packaging hazard.
If you buy it
Follow microwave heating instructions precisely; overheating increases PFAS migration risk. Consider transferring popcorn to a microwave-safe container if you are concerned about direct bag contact. If concerned about PFAS accumulation, limit frequency of consumption and rotate to stovetop or air-popped alternatives. Store unopened bags in a cool, dry place away from heat sources to minimize coating degradation.
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.