Food & Drink / Products / Food delivery and takeout packaging

Food delivery and takeout packaging — food safety profile

High risk

Food delivery and takeout packaging — pizza boxes, burger wrappers, sandwich bags, french fry sleeves, salad bowls, soup cups, and delivery bag liners — represents a major dietary PFAS exposure source that received limited consumer attention before Clean Label Project testing and academic studies in 2019–2023 documented widespread PFAS contamination.

What is this product?

Food delivery and takeout packaging — pizza boxes, burger wrappers, sandwich bags, french fry sleeves, salad bowls, soup cups, and delivery bag liners — represents a major dietary PFAS exposure source that received limited consumer attention before Clean Label Project testing and academic studies in 2019–2023 documented widespread PFAS contamination. Grease-resistant paper and paperboard in fast food and food delivery packaging is frequently treated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to prevent oil and moisture penetration — the same DWR chemistry used in outdoor gear and stain-resistant upholstery is applied to food contact paper to create greaseproof barriers. When PFAS-treated food packaging contacts hot, fatty food (french fries, pizza, fried chicken), PFAS migration from the packaging into the food is accelerated by both temperature and fat content. The 2019 EWG and 2022 academic studies found total fluorine (a proxy for PFAS treatment) in paper food packaging from virtually every major fast food chain tested, with McDonald's, Burger King, and others showing positive detections. The transition to PFAS-free packaging has accelerated since these studies but remains incomplete.

What's in it

Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.

Compounds of concern

Component

Precursor

Who's most at risk

  • Pregnant Women — Fetal exposure via placental transfer; developing endocrine systems of fetus
  • Children — Higher food-to-body-weight ratio, developing organ systems

How to use it more safely

  • Use only for intended food types; avoid prolonged contact with hot oils or acidic foods
  • Ensure packaging is intact before food contact; check for tears or damage
  • Store food at appropriate temperatures immediately after receiving
  • Use within recommended timeframe specified by food establishment

Red flags — when to walk away

  • Hot, fatty food delivered or taken out in greaseproof paper packaging — The combination of hot food (above 60°C) and fatty content (pizza, fried chicken, burgers) in greaseproof paper packaging creates maximum PFAS migration conditions. Delivery food that sits in packaging during transit time adds extended contact time to the temperature and fat content factors. This is the highest-PFAS-migration scenario in the food delivery context.

Green flags — what to look for

  • Restaurant or chain with documented PFAS-free packaging commitment — Food service operators that have committed to PFAS-free packaging with a verified timeline have reduced or eliminated the PFAS migration concern from their packaging. Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Whole Foods Market food service have made documented PFAS-free packaging commitments. Consumer demand for PFAS-free packaging commitments is the primary driver of industry transition.

Safer alternatives

  • Reusable food containers — Eliminates packaging waste; safer long-term storage option
  • Compostable food packaging — Reduces environmental toxins; safer disposal pathway
  • Glass or stainless steel takeout containers — No chemical leaching risk; fully reusable and durable

Frequently asked questions

What's in Food delivery and takeout packaging?

This product type can contain: PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances), Microplastics, Polystyrene microbeads, PFPeA (Perfluoropentanoic acid), 8:2 FTOH (8:2 Fluorotelomer alcohol), among others. Click any compound name above for the full safety profile.

Who should be careful with Food delivery and takeout packaging?

Vulnerable populations identified for this product type: pregnant women, children.

How can I use Food delivery and takeout packaging more safely?

Use only for intended food types; avoid prolonged contact with hot oils or acidic foods; Ensure packaging is intact before food contact; check for tears or damage; Store food at appropriate temperatures immediately after receiving

Are there safer alternatives to Food delivery and takeout packaging?

Yes — consider: Reusable food containers; Compostable food packaging; Glass or stainless steel takeout containers. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.

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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →