PFAS25/ 100Poor
Overall17/ 100Bad
12" - Butcher Paper Rolls Roll

· Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper

12" - Butcher Paper Rolls Roll

Poor

Butcher paper likely grease-resistant with unknown PFAS risk.

Verdict · SkipButcher paper is food-safe by design, but PFAS in grease-resistant coating is unconfirmed for this brand; use for dry/room-temp foods only, avoid direct heat contact.

Butcher paper rolls typically get water and grease-resistant treatment, often PFAS-based. Katom discloses no PFAS information.

The better-graded swap

If You Care Parchment Baking Paper

If You Care

If You Care Parchment Baking Paper

90/100 safety

90Excellent

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 grease-resistant coating

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.

75/ 100
♾️

No PFAS disclosure

No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.

85/ 100
♾️

Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment

Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.

65/ 100
♾️

PFAS

Butcher paper's water/grease barrier is often achieved with fluorochemical coatings (PFOA/PFOS predecessors or GenX alternatives); Katom does not disclose coating type, so PFAS presence cannot be ruled out. Risk is chronic low-level migration into fatty foods over storage period.

Source, ATSDR
70/ 100
⚠️

Mold or bacterial growth on paper if stored damp

Paper itself is inert, but humid storage can promote mold on the roll surface; once mold is visible, the roll should be discarded. This is a storage issue, not a manufacturing hazard.

70/ 100

What’s reassuring

Microplastic or coating particle shedding

No established reports of Katom butcher paper flaking or degrading during normal use. Cellulose is stable; risk is only if coating is poorly applied or product is physically damaged before use.

95/ 100

Bleach residue in kraft paper

FDA-approved chlorine bleaching in paper manufacturing is tightly regulated; final paper contains no detectable residual bleach. This is not a known concern for food-contact butcher paper from established suppliers.

95/ 100
⛏️

Heavy metals

No recalls or testing data suggest heavy metals in Katom butcher paper. FDA indirect food additive rules apply to coatings, but third-party verification is absent for this brand.

Source, FDA
95/ 100

The full breakdown

What it's made of and why it matters

Katom butcher paper is cellulose paper with an applied grease-resistant coating, typically silicone or wax-based in standard products, though some premium butcher papers use fluorochemical treatments (PFAS compounds). The coating is the critical variable, it prevents fat transfer during storage and wrapping of raw/cured meats, but its composition determines whether trace chemicals can migrate into food. Katom does not publicly specify coating chemistry on product packaging or website based on available information.

The brand's record and disclosure

Katom is a food-service distributor (part of WebstaurantStore ecosystem) without published transparency reports on coating suppliers or PFAS policy. No recalls, certifications (e.g., FDA functional barrier claims), or independent testing results are on record for this specific SKU. The brand's silence on grease-resistant coating origin means you cannot confirm whether PFAS or other alternatives (silicone, wax) are in use. No established controversies specific to butcher paper products from this vendor.

How it compares in its category

Standard butcher paper rolls (bleached kraft) are food-contact approved in the US under FDA CFR 176 (indirect food additives), but coating formulation varies widely across manufacturers. Products explicitly labeled 'PFAS-free' or 'fluorochemical-free' from competitors (e.g., If You Care, certain restaurant-supply chains) exist but are less common in bulk foodservice lines. Katom's product occupies the mid-market, price-optimized segment where coating chemistry is often cost-driven and opaque. Comparable Katom freezer paper and food-wrap products show the same disclosure gap.

If you buy it

Use for room-temperature wrapping of cured/dry meats and storage in refrigerators; do not use for direct contact with hot foods, raw poultry, or items above 50°C (coating integrity unknown at heat). Replace rolls every 1-2 years if stored in humid conditions to prevent mold or paper degradation. Request coating specification from Katom/WebstaurantStore customer service if PFAS concern is critical to your decision. For high-risk applications (commercial food prep, dietary-sensitive use), consider labeled 'PFAS-free' alternatives despite higher cost.

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
has made none

Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.

Better-graded alternatives in Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper

Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish

IDL Packaging

White Butcher Paper 18" x Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish

bleached paper, uncoated

PFAS Grade95Excellent
Overall Grade91Excellent
⚠️

Mold or microbial growth during storage

Limited concern

70

Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.

Starting grade for this product type

Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish

IDL Packaging

White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish

bleached kraft paper, no specified coating

PFAS Grade95Excellent
Overall Grade87Excellent
⚠️

Ink or printing residue (if printed side contacts food)

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Mold or microbial growth during storage

Limited concern

70

Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.

Starting grade for this product type

If You Care Parchment Baking Sheets

If You Care

Parchment Baking Sheets

unbleached parchment paper, silicone coating

PFAS Grade90Excellent
Overall Grade82Excellent

Silicone coating degradation under heat stress

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Mold or microbial growth if stored damp

Limited concern

70

Brand no-added-PFAS claim and a 2021 lab result with no fluorine detected.

Lab test found no PFAS

More grease-resistant deli & 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.