Karat · Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper
Karat Deli Paper Sheets
Wait for the brand to confirm PFAS status or get testing done.
Karat deli paper sheets have a grease-resistant coating that probably contains PFAS. Karat hasn't disclosed PFAS details and no third-party testing exists.
The better-graded swap
If You Care
If You Care Parchment Baking Paper
90/100 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
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.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Grease-resistant paper coatings historically relied on PFAS compounds; Karat's silence on chemistry and lack of PFAS-free certification create a reasonable concern that the coating may contain PFOA or other fluorinated substances. Confirmation requires direct brand inquiry or independent testing.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating migration into food under heat
If the coating is a fluorinated or synthetic polymer, contact with warm fatty foods (deli meats, pastries) may increase migration rates. Paper Mart does not specify temperature limits or coating stability data, making safe-use parameters unclear.
What’s reassuring
Chlorine bleaching residues
No specific information on Karat deli sheet bleaching method is publicly available. If chlorine-bleached, residual organochlorine compounds are unlikely at hazardous levels but cannot be ruled out without testing data.
Microplastic or particulate shedding
No reported or documented shedding of coating particles or microplastics from Karat deli sheets. Degradation risk exists if sheets are folded, crumpled, or heated repeatedly, but product design typically limits this in normal use.
Adhesives or lamination contaminants
If deli sheets are laminated or contain adhesive layers, formaldehyde or other volatile organics could off-gas. No disclosure from Paper Mart confirms or excludes this; standard food-contact coatings generally avoid formaldehyde, but verification is absent.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Karat deli paper sheets are paper substrate treated with a grease-resistant coating to prevent oil and moisture penetration. The coating chemistry is the critical unknown, it may be a fluorinated polymer (PFAS-based), silicone, or wax-based formulation. Without manufacturer disclosure, the safety profile of direct food contact, especially under heat or with fatty contents, cannot be fully assessed. The paper itself is generally inert, but the functional coating is where hazards concentrate.
The brand's record and disclosure
Paper Mart has not publicly disclosed the chemical composition of grease-resistant coatings on Karat deli sheets or adopted verified PFAS-free certifications. No independent recalls or safety controversies are on record for this specific product line. The brand's silence on PFAS is the primary concern, as major food-contact paper suppliers increasingly offer PFAS-free alternatives and publish transparency statements. Absence of disclosure differs from confirmed safety and reflects a gap in supply-chain transparency.
How it compares in its category
Deli paper products span a range of coating strategies. Some competitors (e.g., If You Care, Unbleached & Beyond) explicitly market PFAS-free formulations with third-party certifications. Others, including many private-label and commodity brands, do not disclose coating chemistry. Karat occupies the middle ground, widely available and affordable but opaque, making it riskier than certified PFAS-free brands but not confirmed worse than unlabeled alternatives.
If you buy it
Minimize direct contact between deli sheets and fatty or hot foods; use as a barrier, not a wrapper for warm sandwiches or oily deli meats. Store unused sheets in a cool, dry place away from direct heat. Do not compost or incinerate sheets, as this may release volatile compounds from the coating. Consider replacing with a PFAS-free certified brand or asking Paper Mart for coating documentation before purchasing bulk quantities.
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
- Karat 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
bleached paper, uncoated
Mold or microbial growth during storage
Limited concern
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
bleached kraft paper, no specified coating
Ink or printing residue (if printed side contacts food)
Limited concern
Mold or microbial growth during storage
Limited concern
Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
If You Care
Parchment Baking Sheets
unbleached parchment paper, silicone coating
Silicone coating degradation under heat stress
Limited concern
Mold or microbial growth if stored damp
Limited concern
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.