3" x 6" One Mil Poly Bags for Food & Candy - 1
Lower concern. Standard PE food bags rarely receive PFAS treatment.
These basic PE food bags have no special treatment listed. PE is inherently free of PFAS unless coated with water-resistant additives, which this simple product likely lacks.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
polyethylene (PE), one mil thickness
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
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.
Microplastics
Thin gauge PE (one mil) may fragment if repeatedly creased, compressed, or exposed to sunlight over extended storage. Fragments are unlikely to contaminate food in normal use but are theoretically possible if bags degrade. Risk is low for short-term dry goods storage.
Source: EPA ↗Leaching of processing residues or slip agents
PE bags may contain trace amounts of slip agents (e.g., erucamide) added during extrusion to reduce tackiness. These are FDA-approved and present at very low levels; leaching into dry foods is minimal but has not been formally quantified for this specific brand or thickness.
Degradation and brittleness over time
PE becomes brittle and prone to cracking with prolonged sun exposure or temperature cycling. Brittle bags may crack and allow contamination or pest entry. One mil bags are more susceptible than thicker gauges due to lower material volume.
What’s reassuring
Safe base material
Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
BPA & bisphenols
PE is not formulated with bisphenols. No BPA or BPS is intentionally added to standard PE food bags during manufacturing.
Source: FDA ↗Phthalates
PE does not require phthalate plasticizers; the polymer chain itself confers flexibility. Standard PE food bags do not contain DEHP, DBP, or other regulated phthalates.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This product is polyethylene (PE), a thermoplastic polymer that is one of the safest food-contact plastics for cold storage. One mil thickness (0.001 inch) is thin gauge, meaning the bag is flexible and suitable for candy, dry goods, and non-oily products. PE does not contain BPA, phthalates, or other intentional additives at manufacture, making it chemically stable at room temperature and below. The thinness also means minimal material to leach even if misused.
The brand's record and disclosure
POLYBAG is a commodity bag manufacturer with no public disclosure history, certifications, or documented safety controversies on record. The brand does not appear in FDA warning letters or major recalls related to food-contact packaging. No independent testing or third-party certifications (NSF, FDA compliance statements) are publicly available for this specific SKU. Absence of transparency is typical for low-cost food packaging suppliers but does not indicate a safety problem.
How it compares in its category
PE food bags are among the safest single-use food storage options and are widely used for candy, baked goods, and produce. They are chemically similar to commercial sandwich bags and frozen food bags. One mil PE is thinner and more economical than oriented polypropylene (OPP) or PET alternatives, which reduces cost but also reduces barrier properties for long-term storage. This product occupies the budget-commodity segment with no performance or safety advantage over major brand competitors, but no disadvantage either.
If you buy it
Use only for cold storage, dry goods, candy, and non-greasy foods; do not microwave or heat. Do not store acidic, fatty, or oily foods long-term, as PE can leach or absorb flavors over weeks. Check bags for tears or punctures before use and discard any with visible damage. Replace bags if they become cloudy, sticky, or develop odor, which may indicate environmental stress or contamination. One mil thickness is fragile; handle gently and do not overstuff.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- POLYBAG has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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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.