LEM · Grease-Resistant Butcher & Deli Paper
LEM Freezer Paper
Freezer paper likely contains PFAS in water-resistant coating.
Freezer paper typically uses fluorocarbon coatings for grease and moisture resistance, a common PFAS application. Crown Poly doesn't publicly disclose coating chemistry or PFAS status.
The better-graded swap
IDL Packaging
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
95/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Paper with polymer coating (grease-resistant layer)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
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.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Freezer paper coatings historically use fluorinated compounds for water and grease resistance. Migration into fatty foods is possible, especially during long-term freezing or if coating degrades. Crown Poly's silence on this chemistry leaves uncertainty about current formulation.
Source, ATSDR ↗Polymer coating degradation and microplastic shedding
Freezing and thawing cycles can embrittle synthetic coatings over time, particularly polyethylene. Visible peeling or flaking indicates coating breakdown; direct contact with degraded wrapping may introduce micro-fragments into food. No public testing of this product's specific durability is available.
Thermal instability if misused for cooking
Freezer paper is not rated for oven or stovetop use. Direct heat can cause polymer coating to melt, off-gas, or leach into food. Standard practice is removal before cooking, but accidental oven exposure is a known misuse risk in household kitchens.
What’s reassuring
Printing inks or dyes on packaging
LEM Freezer Paper's exterior label uses standard food-packaging inks. No specific contamination reports exist for Crown Poly products. Label ink does not contact food directly if wrapping is used normally.
Adhesive or glue traces if roll has tape seals
Most freezer paper rolls use minimal adhesive to seal the roll itself, not the food-contact surface. No hazard is established for this product's adhesive system.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
LEM Freezer Paper is paper substrate with a polyethylene or synthetic polymer coating designed to repel moisture and grease, making it suitable for wrapping meat and frozen foods. The coating is the functional layer that prevents freezer burn and odor transfer, but also the likely source of PFAS compounds used to create water and grease resistance. Paper itself is inert, but the coating's chemistry and potential migration into fatty foods (especially at freezing temperatures where some polymers become brittle) is the primary safety consideration.
The brand's record and disclosure
Crown Poly has not published clear disclosures about PFAS content or alternatives in their freezer paper product line. No major recalls or safety controversies are on public record for this specific product. The lack of transparency on PFAS "forever chemicals" is notable given growing regulatory scrutiny and competitor disclosure trends in food packaging. This silence does not confirm PFAS presence, but represents a gap in consumer-facing safety communication.
How it compares in its category
Freezer paper is one of the few single-use food wraps explicitly designed for long-term frozen storage; competing products include butcher paper, plastic cling wrap, and vacuum-seal bags. Most traditional freezer papers (including this category) historically relied on PFAS-based coatings to achieve their water-repellent durability, making this product typical rather than unique in that respect. Uncoated butcher paper or polyethylene-only wraps (without fluorinated compounds) are available as alternatives, though with trade-offs in moisture barrier performance.
If you buy it
Use for its intended purpose, wrapping raw and cooked meats, fish, and fatty foods destined for the freezer. Do not use for oven cooking or reheating, as polymer coatings can degrade under heat. Replace rolls every 1-2 years to minimize risk of coating brittleness and potential fragmentation. Consider rotating to non-fluorinated paper alternatives for foods stored beyond 6 months if PFAS exposure is a household priority.
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
- LEM has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Grease-Resistant Butcher & Deli Paper
IDL Packaging
White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
unbleached natural kraft paper
Mold or microbial growth
Limited concern
Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Gordon Paper
Butcher Paper
kraft paper, bleached sulfate pulp
Fiber shedding and ingestion
Limited concern
Lower concern; uncoated butcher paper has minimal PFAS risk.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
36" - Unbleached Butcher Paper Rolls - 1/Roll
unbleached kraft paper, no disclosed coating
Mold or bacterial growth on stored rolls
Limited concern
Fiber shedding into fatty foods
Limited concern
Lower risk due to lack of grease-resistant treatment.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
More grease-resistant butcher & deli paper 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.