Packaging that touches food has two jobs. It has to perform: hold a buttery croissant without turning translucent, keep a burger warm on the way to the customer. And it has to be safe, with paperwork that proves it. Buyers in food service often check the first point by testing a sample and forget the second until an inspection or a retail chain’s supplier audit asks for it. This guide covers both sides of choosing food-safe paper bags: which materials handle grease and heat, and which documents to request before you sign off a supplier.
Why grease is the main test for food packaging
Ordinary kraft paper absorbs fat. On a bag, that shows up as dark, translucent spots that spread through the paper, stain hands and clothes, and make the packaging look dirty within minutes. For a bakery or a burger bar, a stained bag is a poor final impression of an otherwise good product.
How quickly grease comes through depends on the food (temperature, fat content, contact time), the paper and the construction. Cold bread in a plain kraft bag is usually fine. Warm pastries with butter, fried food and anything with sauce need a material designed for it.
Materials that resist grease and heat
Greaseproof paper bags
Greaseproof V-bottom bags are made from paper treated to resist fat. They suit pastries, doughnuts, pies, fried snacks and other items eaten soon after purchase. They are filled at the counter as quickly as a standard V-bottom bag.
Greaseproof wrapping and burger paper
For items that are wrapped rather than bagged, greaseproof burger paper is supplied in rolls and sheets and can be printed with your branding. Wrapping keeps a burger, shawarma or sandwich together and protects the outer bag from direct contact with grease. A common setup is wrapped items inside a standard block-bottom bag.
Thermal bags
For hot meals and frozen goods, foil-lined thermal bags combine kraft paper outside with a foil or metallised layer inside. They are made from ready-laminated stock and help keep the temperature of the food on the way to the customer.
| Food | Suitable option |
|---|---|
| Bread, dry baked goods | Standard kraft V-bottom or block-bottom bag |
| Croissants, pastries, doughnuts | Greaseproof V-bottom bag |
| Burgers, wraps, sandwiches with sauce | Greaseproof wrapping paper, then a standard bag |
| Hot meals for delivery, frozen goods | Thermal bag with a foil or metallised layer |
How to test grease resistance yourself
Data sheets are useful, but nothing replaces a test with your own menu. A simple routine:
- Pack your fattiest item exactly as it will be served: same temperature, same wrapping.
- Leave it for longer than a typical journey to the customer.
- Check the outside of the bag and the base, where grease collects.
- Repeat with a bag placed on a warm surface, such as a courier’s insulated box.
Ask for free unprinted samples of the constructions you are considering, so the test is done on the material that will actually be produced.
Documents to ask for from a food packaging supplier
Food-safe paper bags need paperwork as well as performance. Inspections, retail chains and franchise owners may all ask for it. These are the main documents to request.
EAEU Declaration of Conformity
For packaging sold in Russia and other EAEU countries, the key document is the Declaration of Conformity under Technical Regulation TR CU 005/2011 “On the safety of packaging”. The regulation covers all types of packaging, including packaging for food, and conformity is confirmed by declaration before the packaging is placed on the market. The declaration confirms that the packaging meets the safety requirements for its intended use. Check that the declaration covers the product type you are buying and that it is current.
FSSC 22000
FSSC 22000 is a food safety management certification. For a packaging manufacturer, it shows that the production is organised to control food safety risks: hygiene, contamination, traceability. Many food chains and large food businesses expect it from packaging suppliers.
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 certifies the quality management system. It does not deal with food safety directly, but it shows that the manufacturer works to defined processes for production and quality control, which matters for consistency between orders.
Vita Group holds all three: the EAEU Declaration of Conformity under TR CU 005/2011, FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001. Details are on our certificates page.
Questions worth asking beyond the certificates
Certificates describe the system. A few direct questions tell you how it applies to your order.
- How is quality checked during production? At Vita Group, quality control checks paper density, strength, dimensions and print quality during each production run, and incoming paper is checked against supplier certificates.
- Which material is used for this specific bag? Make sure the sample you test and the product you order are the same specification.
- How is grease resistance achieved? Buyers increasingly ask suppliers whether grease resistance is provided without PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). If this matters to your business or your customers, ask the question directly and request written confirmation for the specific paper rather than relying on general statements.
- Is the ink suitable for food packaging? Ask how printed areas relate to the food contact side, especially if you plan printing inside the bag.
Keeping the documents organised
Store copies of the declaration and certificates with each supplier’s file, note their expiry dates, and request updated copies when they are renewed. When the specification changes, for example a new paper or a new construction, check that the documents still cover it. It takes a few minutes at the time and saves a rush when an inspector or a client asks.
The bottom line
Choosing food-safe paper bags means matching the material to the food, testing it with your own menu, and holding the right documents. Use greaseproof bags or wrapping for fatty items and thermal bags for hot or frozen meals. Ask your supplier for the EAEU Declaration of Conformity under TR CU 005/2011, FSSC 22000 and ISO 9001, and put specific questions in writing where the answer matters to you.
Need food packaging with a full set of documents? Contact us for samples, certificates and a quotation.