Whole Foods · Grease-Resistant Butcher & Deli Paper
Grill Mark Wood Fiber BBQ Butcher Paper Roll
Avoid. Grease-resistant food packaging likely treated with PFAS.
BBQ butcher paper designed for grease resistance typically relies on PFAS-based water and grease repellent coatings. Whole Foods makes no PFAS disclosure or claims.
The safe swap
Sam's Club
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
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
wood fiber with grease-resistant coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
PFAS
Grease-resistant food packaging almost universally relies on PFAS (perfluorooctanoic acid derivatives or similar). No conflicting evidence or PFAS-free certification on record for this product. Migration risk increases with fatty foods, heat, and prolonged contact.
Source: ATSDR ↗Coating migration into food
Non-fluorinated or disclosed coating chemistry is not provided. Any synthetic resin coating can shed microparticles or chemical components under heat, grease, and mechanical stress typical of grilling and meat storage.
Thermal breakdown of coating at high temperatures
Direct exposure to charcoal or gas flame in grilling (above 200C) can degrade polymer coatings, releasing volatile organic compounds or particulates. Coating composition and thermal stability limits are not disclosed.
What’s reassuring
Ink residues from printing
Grill Mark roll may carry printed branding or text. If soy-based or mineral inks are used, risk is minimal; if heavy-metal-bearing pigments (historically used in food packaging inks) are present, they could pose minor ingestion risk if ink directly contacts fatty foods. No third-party ink composition disclosure available.
Chlorine bleaching of wood fiber
Wood-pulp food packaging is often chlorine-bleached, which can produce trace dioxins and furans. No chlorine-free or oxygen-bleached certification noted for this product; standard industry practice is assumed. Risk is very low but not disclosed.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Grill Mark butcher paper is wood fiber (cellulose) with an applied grease-resistant coating to prevent oil and meat juices from soaking through. The coating chemistry is not disclosed by brand or retailer. For food contact paper, grease resistance typically requires fluorinated compounds (PFAS), which do not biodegrade and can migrate into fatty foods at temperatures typical for grilling and storage. No certification marks (FDA food-contact verification, chlorine-free, or fluorine-free claims) are visible in standard product information.
The brand's record and disclosure
Whole Foods has not published transparency reports on PFAS use in private-label food packaging. Grill Mark is a Whole Foods house brand with minimal third-party testing disclosure. The product lacks any fluorine-free, PFAS-free, or alternative coating certifications in publicly available documentation. This silence in a category where PFAS presence is industry-standard is a significant red flag for informed consumers.
How it compares in its category
Most mainstream butcher and freezer papers (Reynolds, Kirkland, store brands) use similar grease-resistant coatings of undisclosed chemistry, creating a widespread problem in this category. Genuinely PFAS-free alternatives exist but are niche: uncoated kraft paper (for non-greasy items), beeswax-coated paper (for wrapping, not bulk rolls), and silicone-coated paper (PFAS-free but not widely available at mainstream retailers). Grill Mark offers no competitive advantage in safety.
If you buy it
If you choose to use this product despite PFAS concerns, limit contact with fatty foods and high heat to reduce potential migration. Store wrapped foods in a cool place and replace paper rolls every 1-2 years to avoid accumulated residue. Do not compost; throw away. For grilling, consider using uncoated paper or aluminum foil as a barrier under fatty meats, and reserve this product only for dry items or as a short-term wrap.
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
- Whole Foods has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Grease-Resistant Butcher & Deli Paper
Sam's Club
Member's Mark Heavy Duty Food Service Foil
Aluminum foil
Aluminum leaching from acidic foods
Limited concern
Lower risk. Plain aluminum foil typically does not contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Sam's Club
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
unbleached natural kraft paper
Grease and mineral oil migration
Limited concern
Lower risk. Uncoated paper rarely contains PFAS chemicals.
⚠Risky category by default
IDL Packaging PFAS-Free Grease-Proof Paper Sheets
paper with grease-resistant coating
PFAS
Limited concern
Microplastic shedding from coating under wear
Limited concern
Brand claims PFAS-free but lacks independent lab verification.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
More grease-resistant butcher & deli 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.