Skinny Pop · Microwave Popcorn
SkinnyPop Popcorn
Microwave popcorn bags often contain PFAS-based grease barriers. Check brand disclosure.
SkinnyPop uses standard microwave popcorn packaging with likely grease-resistant coating. The brand has not publicly disclosed PFAS use or testing, creating uncertainty about inner bag treatment.
The better-graded swap
Quaker
Quaker Butter Popcorn Rice Cakes
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/paperboard bag with grease-resistant coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What SkinnyPop Popcorn is made of, ingredients and materials
SkinnyPop microwave popcorn bags are lined with paper and paperboard coated with a grease-resistant barrier to prevent oil from saturating the bag during heating. That coating is almost certainly PFAS-based (per industry standard practice), though SkinnyPop has not publicly disclosed its specific formulation. The bag is designed to withstand high heat and repeated use without degrading, which means the coating remains intact under normal microwave conditions, but any degradation or perforation could theoretically release coating particles into food.
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
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.
PFAS
Industry-standard practice in microwave popcorn bags; SkinnyPop has not disclosed reformulation. See separate PFAS grade.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating particle migration if bag is damaged
If the bag is overheated, punctured, or torn before use, coating fragments could enter the popcorn. Risk is low under normal use but increases with mishandling.
Mineral oil or petroleum-derived lubricants in coating
Some fluorinated coatings are combined with mineral oil for processing; SkinnyPop formulation not disclosed. Mineral oil is generally recognized as safe by FDA at low levels in food contact but is not declared on consumer packaging.
What’s reassuring
Printing inks and adhesives in bag
SkinnyPop bags use standard food-grade inks and adhesives; no specific contamination recalls or reports identified. FDA food-contact regulations apply to these materials.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
SkinnyPop (owned by Amplify Snacking, a Mondelez subsidiary) has not issued public disclosures about PFAS use in its packaging or commitment to phasing it out. The brand has not sought third-party certifications (such as GOTS or Cradle to Cradle) that would signal packaging safety standards. No major recalls or safety controversies specific to SkinnyPop popcorn packaging are on public record.
How it compares in its category
Microwave popcorn as a category is heavily dependent on PFAS or similar fluorinated coatings to meet FDA food-contact standards for grease resistance at heat. SkinnyPop is typical in this regard. Some brands (notably Orville Redenbacher and Pop Secret, owned by larger corporations) have begun exploring PFAS-free alternatives, but full replacement across the microwave popcorn market is incomplete. Air-popped or stovetop popcorn avoids this hazard entirely but requires different preparation.
If you buy it
Follow package directions exactly, do not overheat or allow the bag to char or perforate, as this could compromise the coating. Keep bags away from direct flame or extreme heat. Store unopened bags in cool, dry conditions away from sunlight to prevent coating degradation over time. If you use microwave popcorn regularly (more than once weekly), consider rotating to air-popped alternatives to reduce cumulative PFAS exposure. Once the bag is opened, do not reuse or microwave it.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Skinny Pop has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to SkinnyPop Popcorn?
- puffed rice cakes in paperboard packaging
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Mold or bacterial growth in packaging
- paperboard popcorn bag, grease-resistant interior lining
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Moisture and mold risk if bag is compromised
- paper-based food packaging with standard coating
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Ink migration (printing on exterior or interior)
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More microwave popcorn 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.