250 Per Carton HU 12 oz Streetside Squat Paper Food Container with Lid
Wait for Huhtamaki to disclose coating chemistry. Grease-resistant food packaging often uses PFAS.
This 12 oz takeout container uses standard water and grease-resistant paperboard coating without public disclosure of its chemistry. Food-contact coatings historically rely on fluorinated compounds.
The safe swap
Bagasse
Bagasse Hinged Container 3-Compartment, PFAS Free 200pc
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
Paperboard with unspecified grease/water-resistant coating
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.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
PFAS
Unspecified grease-resistant coatings may contain acrylate polymers, silicones, or other additives that could leach in trace amounts, especially under heat or prolonged contact with fatty foods. No recalls or specific complaints are on record for this product.
Source: ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Microplastics
If the coating contains any plastic-based polymers (common in some formulations), mechanical wear or heat could theoretically shed particles. No established evidence exists for this Huhtamaki container, but worn or damaged coatings should be discarded.
Source: EPA ↗Recycled paperboard contaminants
If this container uses recycled fiber, it may contain trace heavy metals or residual inks from prior packaging. Huhtamaki does not publicly specify the fiber source for this SKU. Food-contact paperboard in most regions complies with migration limits, but transparency is absent.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Paperboard container adhesives and some coating resins can release formaldehyde, particularly if heated. No specific complaints or test data exist for this product. The risk is low under normal use but increases if containers are microwaved.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This is a paperboard container (likely virgin or recycled wood pulp) with an unspecified grease and water-resistant coating applied to the interior. Paperboard itself is inert, but the coating is the material in direct contact with food. Grease-resistant coatings on food packaging frequently use fluorinated compounds (PFAS) to repel oils, though some manufacturers use non-fluorinated alternatives like silicone or wax blends. Without disclosure, you cannot determine which chemistry Huhtamaki used in this product.
The brand's record and disclosure
Huhtamaki is a major global food packaging manufacturer but has not publicly committed to PFAS phase-out or provided ingredient-level transparency for coatings on products like this squat container. The company has not disclosed whether this specific item uses PFAS, fluorine-free, or other chemistries. Industry peers (notably Footprint and some regional suppliers) have begun labeling PFAS-free options; Huhtamaki's silence suggests the company has not yet separated product lines by coating type for consumer visibility.
How it compares in its category
Paperboard food containers are safer than plastics on most non-PFAS fronts (no BPA, phthalates, or microplastic risk). However, the unspecified grease-resistant coating puts this product in the middle of the transparency spectrum. Some competitors explicitly market PFAS-free containers; others, like Huhtamaki, do not. If you need a low-PFAS option, suppliers offering certified PFAS-free or coating-disclosure statements are preferable.
If you buy it
Use this container for room-temperature or cooled foods; avoid direct microwave heating, which can degrade coatings and increase leaching risk. Replace containers if the interior coating shows visible wear, peeling, or discoloration. Do not reuse for prolonged storage of high-fat foods (oil, butter, fatty meats), as grease can accelerate any coating breakdown. If PFAS exposure concerns you, contact Huhtamaki directly requesting coating chemistry disclosure for this SKU, or switch to explicitly PFAS-free alternatives.
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
- Huhtamaki has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Food Packaging
World Centric
Compostable Fiber Compost-A-Pak Containers
Fiber-based (wood pulp/molded fiber), compostable coating
Proprietary coating chemical migration
Limited concern
Moisture and microbial growth in fiber matrix
Limited concern
Coating degradation under heat or fatty foods
Moderate concern
Recycling contamination if misdisposed
Limited concern
Lower concern with documented PFAS-free commitments, though independent lab confirmation on this specific product absent.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Vegware
Compostable Microflute Takeaway Box
Plant-based fiber (sugarcane bagasse microflute); water-based coatings
Coating degradation under heat and moisture
Limited concern
Lower concern; plant-based compostable packaging with stated PFAS-free positioning and limited independent verification.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Loliware
Compostable Hinged Deli Containers
Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic, plant-based coatings
PLA oligomer leaching
Limited concern
Microplastic generation on degradation
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern; compostable bioplastic design avoids fluorine coatings.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More food 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.