Ritz Fresh Stacks Crackers Family Size
Skip until Ritz publicly discloses packaging PFAS content.
Fresh Stacks Family Size has a grease-resistant barrier likely containing PFAS. The brand provides no disclosure or third-party testing.
The better-graded swap
Karat
Karat Earth Pfas Free Compostable Bagasse Hinged Containers
95/100 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
paperboard with polymer moisture/grease barrier
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Ritz Fresh Stacks Crackers Family Size is made of, ingredients and materials
Ritz Fresh Stacks crackers come in a paperboard box with a polymer moisture and grease barrier layer inside. This barrier (typically polyethylene or similar plastic coating) prevents crackers from absorbing moisture and keeps oils from degrading the cardboard. The concern is what chemical additives are in that barrier layer, particularly whether it contains PFAS-based repellents, which would then contact the food inside.
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
Paperboard food packaging often uses PFAS-based fluorochemical coatings for water and grease resistance. Ritz has not disclosed whether their barrier uses PFAS or PFAS-free alternatives, making this a plausible but unconfirmed concern.
Source, ATSDR ↗Barrier degradation over time
Polymer coatings on paperboard can crack, flake, or degrade with age, humidity, or temperature cycling, potentially exposing cardboard fibers or adhesives to the product; this is a physical rather than chemical hazard but affects product quality.
What’s reassuring
Non-intentional additives migration from barrier
No established reports of plasticizers, adhesives, or other polymer additives migrating into Ritz crackers at levels of concern, but risk exists if barrier is damaged or stored under heat stress.
BPA & bisphenols
No public evidence that Ritz packaging contains BPA or BPS, but many older paperboard coatings did include these compounds; Ritz's lack of transparency makes verification impossible without direct contact.
Source, FDA ↗How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Ritz (owned by Mondelez International) has not publicly disclosed PFAS content or phaseout timelines for food packaging as of available records. The broader snack industry has faced pressure on PFAS in food-contact packaging, but Ritz has remained silent on this issue. No major recalls or safety violations specific to Ritz crackers packaging are on record for other contaminants like migration of adhesives or coatings.
How it compares in its category
Most mainstream cracker brands use similar paperboard-plus-polymer barrier designs. Some premium or eco-focused brands have begun transitioning to PFAS-free barriers or fully recyclable paper, though disclosure remains inconsistent across the category. Ritz's silence places it in the middle-to-lower end of transparency for this product class.
If you buy it
Store unopened boxes in cool, dry conditions away from direct heat or sunlight, as polymer barriers degrade faster when exposed to thermal stress. Do not microwave crackers in their original packaging. Once opened, transfer to airtight glass or ceramic containers if you plan to keep them longer than a week; this also removes packaging variables from the storage equation. If PFAS content becomes a priority concern for your household, request disclosure from Ritz directly or switch to brands with explicit PFAS-free packaging claims.
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
- Ritz has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Ritz Fresh Stacks Crackers Family Size?
- Plant-based fiber pulp (compostable)
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Microbe/mold growth if stored damp
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Eco-Products
Eco Products WorldView Compostable Take-Out Containers EP-SCRC32
- Plant-based fiber (compostable sugarcane bagasse)
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Bleaching agents and processing residues
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Eco-Products
WorldView Sugarcane Take-Out Containers
- Sugarcane bagasse (post-consumer fiber)
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Cellulose fiber degradation and food contact
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
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.