As of July 1, 2020, Denmark bans the use of PFAS in food contact paper and board packaging.
Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in innovative fiber-based solutions, offers a global full spectrum of grease resistant products using its FluoroFree® technology. FluoroFree® delivers outstanding grease-resistance for common fast-food packaging, food wraps, clamshells, butter wrap, pet food packaging and microwave popcorn bags, without the use of fluorochemicals, commonly referred to as PFAS.
“Due to our continuously improving innovation in the area of PFAS-free food packaging, Ahlstrom-Munksjö has the unique capability of manufacturing our FluoroFree® papers at several plants across the globe, including the United States and Europe,” said Jeff Murphy, Vice President for Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Food Packaging Solutions business. “Increasingly, consumers and brand owners are looking for a PFAS-free option, and yet they still need the product to meet food safety requirements, be cost-effective, and eco-friendly. We are uniquely situated to provide that option.”
The FluoroFree® technology is not new for Ahlstrom-Munksjö since the PFAS free products have also been successfully commercialized several years ago in microwave popcorn applications, the most difficult grease-resistance to achieve. One of the first to launch this product was Coop Denmark.
“In 2015 Coop made the decision to remove PFAS-treated microwave popcorn bags from the store shelves, and we at first were not certain a solution could be found,” said Malene Teller Blume, Quality and Social Compliance Manager with Coop Denmark. “However we found Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s FluoroFree® papers, and within five months our microwave popcorn products were available once again and this product is still being used successfully today.”
An additional product range in the FluoroFree® family includes Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s historic Parchment Solutions. Parchment papers naturally offer exceptional grease resistance and are certified PFAS-Free.
“Our Genuine Vegetable Parchment range offers an absolute and natural grease barrier and outstanding wet strength,” explained Brian Oost, Vice President of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Parchment Solutions business. “Thanks to our unique production process, there are no fibers left on our paper, so no fibers in your food products. Additionally, the proprietary process to obtain Genuine Vegetable Parchment allows us to achieve these wonderful qualities with a 100% cellulose PFAS-free product which is certified OK Compost Home and Industrial (EN12432).”
FluoroFree® papers not only meet grease-resistant needs, but also offer a broad range of basis weights, excellent glueability and printability, and can be uncalendered or calendered and bleached or available in trulyNatural®. FluoroFree® meets all current EU and United States fluorochemical (PFAS) regulations and compostability requirements. As a leading manufacturer of grease-resistant papers and one of the first to engineer fluorochemical-free papers, FluoroFree® technology meets all demanding performance specifications.