Boar's Head · Deli Meat & Cold Cuts Packaging
Boar's Head Charcuterie & Cheese Tray
Low concern for PFAS in the food itself, though tray coating unknown.
Boar's Head doesn't state PFAS details for this product. The charcuterie and cheese pose minimal PFAS risk, but the cardboard or plastic tray underneath remains unidentified and possibly coated.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
food (charcuterie, cheese); cardboard/plastic tray substrate
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Microplastics
Polystyrene domes may shed small particles if abraded or flexed, though physical inspection at purchase limits exposure. Risk is theoretical and not specific to this brand.
Source: EPA ↗Mold or bacterial growth on packaging (if dampness occurs)
Condensation inside sealed trays can promote mold on cardboard; this is a handling issue, not a manufacturer defect. Follow sell-by dates and refrigeration strictly.
Chemical preservatives in the meat itself (not packaging)
Charcuterie products typically contain sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, or other curing agents per USDA standards. This is a food ingredient issue, not a packaging hazard, and is inherent to the product category.
What’s reassuring
Safe base material
Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
Cardboard ink and sizing residues
Food-contact cardboard is regulated and tested for migration; no specific recalls on Boar's Head trays exist. Residual inks are unlikely to transfer to cold foods during brief contact.
Plastic film leaching (PS or PET)
Polystyrene and PET are approved for cold food contact and do not release BPA or phthalates under refrigerated conditions. No documented leaching incidents associated with this product type or brand.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Boar's Head charcuterie trays are typically assembled on a paperboard/corrugated base with a clear plastic dome or film overwrap, designed for single-use food transport and display. The cardboard substrate is food-contact safe under FDA standards but may contain residual ink or sizing chemicals. The plastic film is usually polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), both considered low-leach options for cold foods at room temperature. Since the food is chilled and contact time is short (purchase to consumption within hours to days), migration of packaging chemicals into the food itself is minimal.
The brand's record and disclosure
Boar's Head, a subsidiary of Agrotech Industries, maintains FDA compliance and has no published recalls related to packaging safety on charcuterie products in recent years. The company does not publicly disclose detailed packaging sourcing, BPA status, or supply-chain chemical audits. No third-party certifications (e.g., SQF, BRC) are advertised for individual product lines, though parent company operations are audited. The brand's silence on PFAS, BPA, or packaging transparency is typical for commodity deli suppliers but leaves consumers without independent verification.
How it compares in its category
Single-use deli trays are inherently lower risk than multi-use food storage containers because they eliminate repeated heating, washing, and coating degradation. Boar's Head trays are comparable to store-brand and competitor offerings (Stella, Sargento, private label) in material composition and regulatory oversight. Most major retailers stock similar cardboard-base, plastic-wrap configurations; none distinguish themselves on published material certifications. Cold-cut charcuterie itself carries no elevated packaging risk compared to other ready-to-eat deli meats.
If you buy it
Keep the product refrigerated until consumption and use within the sell-by date printed on the packaging. Do not heat contents while on the cardboard tray; transfer to ceramic, glass, or food-safe containers if reheating is needed. Discard the tray after use; it is not designed for reuse. Visually inspect the plastic dome for cracks or separation before purchase, as damage increases contact between air and food but does not create packaging hazard per se.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Boar's Head has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
More deli meat & cold cuts packaging 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.