Fluorine-free, Fluorinated or Laminated Bagasse: Which Grease Barrier Should You Choose?
Choose by serving temperature and destination market. Fluorine-free bagasse uses a wax emulsion and, in Jirun's grades, is rated by the factory for oil up to 50 °C or 70 °C; it is the grade for the EU, UK and Australia. Fluorinated bagasse resists oil up to 120 °C (factory data) but contains PFAS and cannot be placed on the EU market. Laminated or spray-coated bagasse contains plastic.
Three ways to stop oil soaking through fibre
| Barrier type | How it works | Contains PFAS | Contains plastic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluorine-free | Wax-emulsion grease barrier, no fluorochemicals added. The wax forms a water- and oil-repellent layer on the fibre; it loses effectiveness as the wax softens with heat. | No fluorochemicals added | No |
| Fluorinated | Fluorochemical oil- and water-repellent additive. It lowers the surface energy of the fibre so that oil cannot wet it, and keeps working at high temperature. | Yes | No |
| Laminated or spray-coated | Plastic film or plastic spray coating. A continuous plastic layer separates the food from the fibre. | Depends on the coating — ask the supplier | Yes |
Temperature and hold-time limits
Jirun's figures for each grade. A temperature without a hold time says little: ask every supplier for both, and for the test conditions.
| Grade | Oil up to | Oil hold time | Hot water | Oil and water food | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluorine-free, low-temperature grade | 50 °C | 60 min | 70 °C, about 3.5 h | On request | Factory data |
| Fluorine-free, high-temperature grade | 70 °C | Up to 8 h (factory); industry typical ~30 min | 70 °C, about 3.5 h | 70 °C, 1–2 h | Factory data |
| Standard grade (fluorochemical oil repellent) | 120 °C | 24 h | 100 °C, 24 h | On request | Factory data |
Start from the temperature of the food when packed
Chilled or room temperature — sushi, salads, fresh meat and produce, bakery. Any grade works; the low-temperature fluorine-free grade is enough.
Warm, up to 50 °C. Either fluorine-free grade.
Warm, 50–70 °C. The high-temperature fluorine-free grade.
Hot and oily, above 70 °C — food straight from the fryer. Outside the fluorine-free rating. The alternative is a fluorinated grade where the destination allows it; laminated grades contain plastic and are not made by Jirun.
Hot soup and liquids. Not straight from the pot: soup at 85–95 °C is above the fluorine-free limit of about 70 °C. Below it, the factory rates the fluorine-free grades for hot water at 70 °C, checked over about 3.5 hours, and soup or sauce containing oil for 1–2 hours; check longer holds with samples.
Factory data Temperature bands follow the factory-stated oil limits.
Then check the destination
European Union. Fluorine-free only. PPWR Article 5 has limited PFAS in food-contact packaging since 12 August 2026. Laminated grades count as single-use plastic products under Directive (EU) 2019/904.
United Kingdom. The PPWR does not apply in Great Britain, but Jirun supplies only the fluorine-free grade to the UK.
Australia and New Zealand. Jirun supplies the fluorine-free grade.
Other markets. Rules on PFAS in food packaging differ by country and, in the United States, by state. Check the destination's rules before choosing a fluorinated grade.
How to verify a supplier's "fluorine-free" claim
A declaration is not a test. Three checks separate a documented fluorine-free grade from an untested one.
1 · Total fluorine
Ask for a total-fluorine result on the fibre body. Targeted PFAS panels only look for listed substances; total fluorine also captures what the panel does not list.
2 · The specimen
Read the specimen description. A report on a lid, or on a different grade or colour, says nothing about the body you are buying.
3 · Test conditions
For oil resistance, ask for temperature, hold time and how seepage was judged. Compare suppliers only on matching conditions.
Questions buyers ask
Which bagasse grease barrier can be sold in the EU?
The fluorine-free grade. Since 12 August 2026, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) limits PFAS in food-contact packaging, which rules out fluorinated bagasse. Laminated or spray-coated bagasse is not excluded by the PFAS limit, but it contains plastic and counts as a single-use plastic product under Directive (EU) 2019/904.
What temperature can fluorine-free bagasse take?
Jirun's fluorine-free grades are rated by the factory for oil up to 50 °C (low-temperature version) and 70 °C (high-temperature version), with an oil hold time of up to 8 hours after oil at that temperature is poured in (the oil then cools at room temperature). Food with both oil and water, such as soup with oil or fried food, holds for 1–2 hours, and food straight from the pot or fryer is above the limit. These are factory data, not yet confirmed by a third-party test.
What should I use for hot fried food if fluorinated bagasse is not allowed?
For food packed above 70 °C there are two practical options: let the food cool below the fluorine-free limit before packing, or use a different packaging material for that menu item. Laminated or spray-coated bagasse also exists but contains plastic, and Jirun does not make it. Ask the supplier for hold-time test conditions before deciding.
How do I check that bagasse sold as fluorine-free really is?
Ask for a total-fluorine test report and a targeted PFAS report on the fibre body of the grade you are buying, and check that the specimen description matches the product: body, not lid; the same grease barrier grade; natural or white. A supplier statement that no fluorochemicals are added is a starting point, not evidence.
Does laminated bagasse count as plastic-free?
No. Contains plastic: counts as a single-use plastic product under EU rules (Directive (EU) 2019/904); cannot be called plastic-free.
Sources
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