Deli King · Grease-Resistant Butcher Paper
Dixie Heavyweight Dry Wax Deli Paper
Deli paper grease resistance often involves PFAS. Brand discloses nothing.
Dixie Heavyweight deli paper is waxed for grease resistance, a known PFAS exposure route. The brand discloses nothing about its chemistry.
The safe swap
Deli King
Pospaper 1,000' 40# Butcher Paper Roll
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 with wax coating, grease-resistant treatment
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
PFAS
Fluorochemical coatings are industry standard in deli papers for grease resistance; Deli King provides no composition data or test results to rule out their use. PFAS can migrate into fatty foods and accumulate in the body.
Source: ATSDR ↗Wax degradation and migration with heat
Standard paraffin or mineral wax coatings on deli paper soften above 150F and can transfer to food if used in warm or hot applications. This is a design limitation, not necessarily a contamination risk, but indicates improper use scenarios.
Mineral oil or paraffin in coating
Traditional deli papers often use petroleum-derived paraffin wax; while food-contact approved, chronic ingestion of mineral hydrocarbons is studied for potential systemic effects. Exact wax type is not disclosed by Deli King.
Lack of brand transparency and third-party testing
Deli King does not publish safety data sheets, coating ingredient lists, or independent testing results. This absence is standard for low-cost foodservice brands but limits consumer ability to assess or compare safety profiles.
What’s reassuring
Bleaching agents and processing residues in paper substrate
Standard food-grade paper for deli use typically meets FDA 21 CFR 176 for food contact. No specific recalls or known contamination issues are on record for Deli King products, but composition transparency is not provided.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Dixie Heavyweight Dry Wax Deli Paper is paper substrate coated with a wax blend formulated for grease resistance and moisture barrier. The wax layer is the functional component that prevents oils and liquids from seeping through, critical for deli and bakery wrapping. Wax-coated papers typically use either mineral wax (paraffin), soy-based wax, or synthetic wax blends; grease-resistant performance in foodservice papers often correlates with fluorinated compounds (PFAS) in the coating formulation, though this is not disclosed by the brand.
The brand's record and disclosure
Deli King does not publicly disclose coating chemistry, fluorine content, or testing data for this product. No third-party certifications (e.g., FDA functional barrier claims, GOTS, or PFAS-free seals) are evident in available product documentation. The brand has no established public stance on PFAS avoidance in foodservice packaging, which is typical of regional or store-label deli paper producers. Without transparency, consumers cannot verify whether the grease-resistant coating relies on PFAS or safer alternatives like clay or wax-only formulations.
How it compares in its category
Standard deli papers in the US market (Dixie, Reynolds, store brands) are largely indistinguishable in composition and often contain PFAS in the grease-resistant layer; Deli King Heavyweight is a mid-tier option with no differentiating safety profile. Alternatives include uncoated kraft paper (lower grease resistance, suitable for dry goods), soy-wax-coated papers (marketed as PFAS-free but less common and more expensive), and silicone-coated papers (PFAS-free but not traditional deli weight). Bulk foodservice suppliers increasingly offer PFAS-free options, but retail retail availability remains limited.
If you buy it
Use for wrapping cold or room-temperature deli items, cheeses, and baked goods; wax coating is not designed for hot foods above ~150F (65C), as wax can soften and migrate into food. Do not use in microwaves or ovens. Store rolls in a cool, dry place away from direct heat to prevent wax breakdown. If high PFAS exposure is a concern (young children, pregnancy, immunocompromised individuals), consider switching to certified PFAS-free alternatives or uncoated papers for items that don't require grease barrier.
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
- Deli King has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Grease-Resistant Butcher Paper
Hardin Simmons
Gordon Paper Butcher Paper
kraft paper, bleached sulfate pulp
Fiber shedding and ingestion
Limited concern
Lower concern; uncoated butcher paper has minimal PFAS risk.
⚠Risky category by default
Hardin Simmons
Durable Packaging White Butcher Paper Roll
bleached kraft paper, likely uncoated
Mold or bacterial contamination during storage
Limited concern
Lower concern. Standard paper stock poses minimal PFAS risk.
⚠Risky category by default
Deli King
Butcher Paper King Kraft Paper 36" x 500 ft
Kraft paper, unbleached cellulose
Mold or microbial growth if stored improperly
Limited concern
Migration of degradation byproducts during prolonged contact
Limited concern
Lower concern. Kraft paper is inherently free of PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
More grease-resistant butcher 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.