About a week ago, while we were trudging through the grocery store aisles, my daughter asked if we could get some microwave popcorn, so I grabbed my phone to look up PFAS free microwave popcorn bags.
It’s been a while since we’ve bought any (thank you, Whirley Pop!), and I was surprised I couldn’t easily find which popcorn bags didn’t contain those nasty forever chemicals.
Since my search left me empty handed, here we are.
Which Microwave Popcorn Doesn’t Have PFAS?
These three brands, Skinny Pop, Newman’s Own & Black Jewell, confirm their popcorn bags do not contain PFAS. Thankfully, other brands say they are working to move away from PFAS in their bags.
The Search for PFAS Free Microwave Popcorn
We’ve been using our Whirley Pop for the past six months (best. popcorn. ever. BTW), but recently my dad made a comment about microwave popcorn, so the topic was fresh on my mind.
Several years ago, I read that Jolly Time didn’t use PFAS in their bags, which I now believe was false information. Turns out everything on the internet is not true! Shocking, right?
Anywho, Jolly Time says they are currently “moving away from PFAS,” but it seems like this is a recent change and not one that sounds official just yet. Thankfully, several other brands are phasing out PFAS in their popcorn bags, and I think many more will follow suit.
At this time though, there are only a few brands (listed below) that are already there and state confidently that their microwave popcorn bags are PFAS FREE.
What are PFAS?
Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) include more than 4,700 man-made forever chemicals. “Forever chemicals” means they don’t breakdown and hang out in the environment forever—hints the name. Not only do they build up in the environment, but they build up in our bodies as well.
PFAS are often used to make things non-stick or water repellent. Think raincoats, non-stick cookware or, in this case, microwave popcorn bags. PFAS are added to microwave popcorn bags to prevent them from getting soggy.
What are the Dangers of PFAS?
PFAS are linked to many health issues including fertility, obesity, thyroid disease and cancer. While it is suspected PFAS play a role in other cancers, the case for kidney and testicular cancers are the most supported at this time.
When you read about PFAS in popcorn, diacetyl is often mentioned, so I will touch on that too.
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What is Diacetyl?
Diacetyl is an a-diketone that is used as a flavoring in microwave popcorn, coffee, and e-cigarettes. Thankfully, many manufacturers have stopped using diacetyl due to health concerns. Some healthier popcorn brands will advertise as being “diacetyl free.”
Diacetyl is naturally produced by many plants during the fermentation process. It is not banned despite its toxicity to workers so is still present in some brands of microwave popcorn and/or movie theater popcorn as well as bakery and coffee mixes.
It is also an ingredient in vaping products. Occupational exposure to high levels of DA causes impaired lung function and obstructive airway disease. While some argue that consuming diacetyl in low levels is likely fine, large amounts are questionable, and we know for sure that producing it is toxic to workers.
You can rest assured that all of the popcorn brands highlighted in this post are diacetyl free.
More About PFAS Free Microwave Popcorn Brands
Let’s take a look at Skinny Pop, Newman’s Own & Black Jewell, which are all confirmed PFAS free.
Newman’s Own
While I could not find the claim initially, I had faith in Newman’s Own, because they are such trustworthy company that generally looks out for the consumer. I was able to verify rather quickly with customer service that none of their popcorn bags contain PFAS.
This goes for all of the variations they offer.
Their popcorn is organic, non-GMO and free of artificial ingredients. I love supporting this company as often as I can, since 100% of royalties and profits go to charities. They have donated over $500 million to various charities since 1982. Wow!
Skinny Pop
Does Skinny Pop contain PFAS? Nope! Skinny Pop has a little symbol right on their box that reads “chemical free lined bag.” I love that the information is clear and easy to find, and that it doesn’t require searching or emailing the manufacturer.
The best thing about Skinny Pop is that it’s carried in many local grocery stores. Their popcorn is not organic, but it is non-GMO, which is very important when it comes to any corn product. Conventional corn products are often highly contaminated with glyphosate. No thanks!
Black Jewel
I have not tried Black Jewel just yet, and I was unaware of it when I first published this post. Quinn was in this spot originally, but it has been discontinued :(. You may still be able to snag some on Amazon for a few more months.
Black Jewel is non-GMO, artificial flavor and color free with PFAS free bags. It’s available at Amazon, but I have yet to see it in any grocery stores. The reviews are pretty good, so it may be worth giving a try.
Does Whole Foods 365 Microwave Popcorn Contain PFAS?
After a chat via the Whole Foods website and a phone call to corporate, it is unknown if Whole Foods 365 Microwave Popcorn bags contain PFAS. The information is nowhere in the description and the customer service reps do not have the information either.
During my search, I did stumble across the fact that Whole Foods does not allow PFAS in their store to-go food containers (e.g., salad bar and bakery containers), so it’s reasonable to believe they wouldn’t allow it in their store brand popcorn bags either.
Unfortunately, this can’t be confirmed at the moment. If I receive an update, I’ll be sure to share it here.
Healthy Alternatives to Microwave Popcorn
We have experimented with all the ways to make popcorn over the years. I’ve tried the brown bag method, used an air popper, went old-school with the stovetop method and used the Ecolution glass bowl. Honestly, I didn’t love any of those methods.
The only thing I have not tried is the silicone bowl that goes in the microwave. It would have likely been next on the list had a church friend not gifted us a Whirely Pop.
When I received it, my first thought was “who knows me this well?” My husband has many gifts but reading my mind is not one of them ;).
I had actually ordered one a few years back and sent it back without even opening it. Between ordering and receiving it, I had remembered we were on a budget, ha! I figured I could make do with the stovetop method I was trying to master at the time, which never happened.
The Whirley Pop works faster than you would think and seriously makes perfect popcorn. While the cleaning is not too bad, it creates nice balance to have some microwave popcorn bags on hand for a last-minute snack or when I just can’t do one more dish.
Ours came with several kits, which were awesome. Since then, I have gone the DIY route. I just buy organic popcorn kernels (they are like $3 at our local grocery store) and use our own oil/seasonings.
Trader Joe’s has some seasonings that work great for popcorn. Cheesy and ranch are two of my favs, and I’ve been wanting to try their sriracha sprinkle. While their seasonings are not organic, they are all non-GMO.
Recap of PFAS in Microwave Popcorn
I’m excited to have a solid answer to which microwave popcorn brands don’t contain PFAS, which was kind of a gray area to me before researching for this post. While usually companies like to brag about the health measures they take, sometimes they don’t for whatever reason as was the case with Newman’s Own.
I’m excited to see so many companies offering non-toxic bags, since microwave popcorn is such a widely consumed snack especially for kids. If you don’t like to use a microwave or don’t own one, definitely pick up a Whirley Pop if you haven’t’ already. I promise, you won’t regret it!
As always, thanks for stopping by!
Very informative!
Thanks so much :)!
Any luck with finding out from Whole Foods if their microwavable popcorn bags have PFAS?
No, they simply did not know if they contained PFAS or not. I may check back in a few months and see if I receive a different response.