Orville Redenbacher's · Microwave Popcorn
Orville Redenbacher's Naturals Simply Salted Microwave Popcorn
Skip pending PFAS clarification on bag coating.
Microwave popcorn bags typically use grease-resistant coatings that may contain PFAS. Orville Redenbacher's does not disclose coating chemistry or PFAS status.
The better-graded swap
Wabash Valley
Wabash Valley Farms Sweet
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/kraft bag with grease-resistant coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What Orville Redenbacher's Naturals Simply is made of, ingredients and materials
This product uses a kraft paper bag with a grease-resistant coating applied to the interior surface. Grease-resistant coatings on food-contact paper are commonly formulated with PFAS (PFAS "forever chemicals") or fluorine-based chemistry to repel oils and prevent bag failure during heating. The coating sits directly against the popcorn kernels and hot oil vapors during microwave preparation, creating potential conditions for chemical migration 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
Kraft paper food bags commonly use fluorinated coatings; Orville Redenbacher's has not disclosed or committed to PFAS-free alternatives. Heat and fatty foods during microwave preparation increase migration likelihood.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastics
Repeated heating and mechanical stress (folding, reheating) can cause coating particles to shed into popcorn. No published data exists for this specific product, but risk is inherent to coated paper bags.
Source, EPA ↗What’s reassuring
BPA & bisphenols
Modern grease-resistant coatings are more likely to use PFAS than BPA/BPS, but formulation is not disclosed. BPA/BPS is not a known issue in this product class unless company data surfaces.
Source, FDA ↗Ink or adhesive residues on exterior
Packaging inks and adhesives are regulated and typically low-migration under normal use. No specific concerns are on record for Orville Redenbacher's bags.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Kraft paper itself does not off-gas formaldehyde. The coating is the primary concern, but VOC emissions from fluorinated coatings are not separately quantified in public data for this product.
Source, ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
The brand's record and disclosure
Orville Redenbacher's has not publicly disclosed the specific coating chemistry or PFAS content of its microwave popcorn bags. The brand has no prominent third-party certifications (such as Green Seal or similar) addressing food-contact coating transparency. Industry-wide, major popcorn manufacturers have faced scrutiny over fluorinated bag coatings since the 2000s, but Orville Redenbacher's has remained largely silent on reformulation efforts or ingredient transparency for this product line.
How it compares in its category
Microwave popcorn bags are among the highest-risk food-packaging products for PFAS exposure because they combine paper, high heat, and direct contact with food. Some competitors (notably Pop Secret and store brands) have moved toward non-fluorinated or disclosed low-PFAS coatings in recent years, though widespread adoption remains incomplete. Orville Redenbacher's Naturals line suggests a premium positioning, yet the coating chemistry lags behind transparency standards offered by some rival brands.
If you buy it
Do not reuse the bag for storage after popping. Follow manufacturer microwave time instructions precisely; overheating degrades coating integrity and increases leaching risk. Store unpopped bags in a cool, dry place away from heat sources. Consider switching to stovetop popcorn in stainless steel or glass, or brands with published PFAS-free or low-PFAS bag certifications, to reduce cumulative dietary PFAS exposure.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 35% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Orville Redenbacher's has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Microwave Popcorn
Quaker
Butter Popcorn Rice Cakes
- puffed rice cakes in paperboard packaging
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Mold or bacterial growth in packaging
Trader Joe's
2 Packs Trader Joe's Synergistically Seasoned Popcorn 5.5 Oz Each Pack
- paperboard popcorn bag, grease-resistant interior lining
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Moisture and mold risk if bag is compromised
Wabash Valley
Farms Sweet
- 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. See all of them.
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.