A supplier sends you a PFAS test report marked “Pass” for a food boat you plan to sell in the EU. The order is nearly ready, so it is tempting to tick the compliance box and move on. Then you notice that the report identifies uncoated kraft board, while your order specifies printed paperboard with an inner grease barrier. The laboratory result may be genuine. Does it cover the packaging you will actually buy?
Review four things before relying on the report: sample, measurement, method capability and match to the current order. If one link is missing, request an explanation or supporting evidence.
Use this review process alongside the PPWR regulation and our EU PPWR food packaging buyer guide.
What the EU PPWR limits—and what the numbers mean
Since 12 August 2026, the PPWR has restricted food-contact packaging placed on the EU market if its PFAS concentration is equal to or above any of the applicable thresholds in Article 5(5). The wording matters: a result exactly at a threshold is not a result below it.
| Measurement | Threshold | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Any individual PFAS measured with targeted analysis | 25 ppb | Polymeric PFAS are excluded from this targeted quantification. |
| Sum of PFAS measured with targeted analysis | 250 ppb | The regulation allows prior degradation of precursors where applicable; check what the laboratory included. Polymeric PFAS are excluded from this targeted sum. |
| PFAS, including polymeric PFAS | 50 ppm | This is a PFAS threshold. Total fluorine is an analytical screening measure, not another name for total PFAS. |
Warning: Check the unit before you approve the result. 25 ppb = 25 µg/kg, not 25 mg/kg. Confusing mg/kg with µg/kg creates a 1,000-fold error. Confirm the unit on the original laboratory report, not just the supplier’s summary.
Total fluorine includes fluorine from PFAS and other sources. If it exceeds 50 mg/kg, ask for evidence separating those sources. Investigate; do not label a TF result as 50 ppm PFAS.
Buyer’s decision: Record which threshold and material the report actually addresses. A generic “PPWR compliant” stamp without that link is insufficient for order approval.
Step 1: Match the reported sample to the packaging on your purchase order
That “Pass” stamp is most reassuring precisely when you are busy. Before reading the numbers, open the sample-description page. If you ordered a printed food boat with an inner grease barrier, what did the laboratory actually receive?
| What the report names | What it can help establish | What is still unresolved |
|---|---|---|
| Uncoated kraft or white paperboard | Information about the tested base board | Whether the applied barrier, ink, adhesive or other added material is covered |
| Barrier-coated board | Information about that board-and-barrier construction | Whether its formulation, application and production version match the order |
| A finished food boat | Information about the submitted article | Whether the current order uses the same material structure and relevant processing conditions |
An upstream board report cannot automatically cover a barrier applied afterward. A finished-article report may likewise cease to represent a changed coating. The question is representativeness.
Demand a map from the ordered SKU or drawing revision to the board, barrier, other relevant components and report numbers. For a product family, identify which construction was tested. A size change differs from a change to the food-contact surface.
If the sample is called only “white paper,” check photographs, attachments, material codes or specifications before deciding that its identity is unclear.
A paper food tray or takeaway food box can have different food-contact and barrier requirements. Define its construction and use before judging the documents.
Step 2: Read the result, unit and reporting limit together
An “N.D.” result looks like an easy yes. It is only useful if the laboratory’s detection or reporting limit can resolve the threshold you need to check.
Example: An individual PFAS is marked “N.D.” with a reporting limit of 50 µg/kg. The PPWR threshold is 25 µg/kg. The report cannot tell you whether the sample is below 25 µg/kg; it does not prove an exceedance either. Your next question to the lab: “What does N.D. mean in this report, and can you test this material with a reporting limit below 25 µg/kg?” Hold the decision if that answer is needed to assess the order.
Read the entire result table:
- Parameter: Is this a named PFAS, a sum of targeted substances, total fluorine, or another screening measurement?
- Unit and sample basis: Is the result expressed as µg/kg or mg/kg of the tested material? Do not compare it with a result reported on a different basis without an explanation.
- Analyte list: Which compounds were measured? A report covering only PFOA and PFOS does not describe every PFAS potentially relevant to the product.
- Sum calculation: Which results were included, and how were non-detects handled? Ask the laboratory if the method or summation rule is unclear.
- Method and qualifications: Do the method, sample preparation and stated limitations support the conclusion printed on the report?
A material-content test and a food-contact migration test answer different questions. The PPWR values above concern concentrations in packaging. Do not compare a migration result under specified food-simulant conditions directly with those values merely because both reports mention PFAS.
Step 3: Choose the first test without paying for the wrong one
Which test should you request first? If you do not already have usable results for the matching construction, ask the laboratory to quote a total-fluorine (TF) screen first, with the follow-up tests priced separately. The Commission’s PPWR testing guidance supports this sequence:
- TF below 50 mg/kg: The matching sample can pass the guidance’s first screening step. Check any targeted results you already have before closing the file.
- TF above 50 mg/kg: Ask whether the fluorine comes from PFAS or other sources. The laboratory can distinguish organic from inorganic fluorine; the guidance identifies pyrolysis-GC/MS as one option.
- Lower PFAS limits still unresolved: Ask for a method that addresses the 25 µg/kg individual and 250 µg/kg sum limits. The guidance recommends direct TOP analysis at this stage.
Stop rule: Do not buy a broad panel automatically when a relevant TF result resolves the initial screen. Do not let low TF erase a targeted exceedance on the same relevant construction; SGS has highlighted this conflict.
What testing may cost—and how long it may take
Use published prices as a comparison point, then request a quote for your exact material, analyte list, reporting limits and number of samples. For example, Measurlabs’ public listings for paper and other solid materials show:
| Service | Published price per sample, excluding VAT | Published typical time after sample receipt |
|---|---|---|
| Total fluorine screening | From €167 | 2–3 weeks |
| Targeted PFAS analysis | From €365 | 3 weeks |
| Direct TOP analysis | Typically €325 | 3–4 weeks |
That provider also lists a €97 fee per order. Prices and dates are its published examples; the targeted panel does not cover every PFAS. Before accepting a charge, demand itemised methods, analytes, reporting limits, sample preparation, total cost and delivery date. To resolve the 25 ppb individual limit, the method must report below 25 µg/kg. A cheap test with a higher reporting limit leaves the question open.
Extractable or adsorbable organic fluorine methods measure fractions defined by their procedures. If a report uses EOF or AOF, ask what the method captures in that material and how it supports the decision. A method reference such as EN 14582 is not a PPWR approval certificate.
Step 4: Verify the report at its source in three moves
1. Get the original, complete PDF. Ask for every page, including the sample description, test results and notes. Check the issuing laboratory, report number, date and any digital signature. A cropped screenshot is not enough.
2. Go to the issuer’s official website yourself. Select the route for the document actually in hand:
| Issuer shown on the report | Official verification route |
|---|---|
| SGS | Submit the full document through Verify SGS Documents. Some SGS reports carry a digital signature or a supported QR code; a report number alone may not verify the report’s contents. |
| Intertek | For a report issued by Intertek Hardlines, submit it through the Hardlines Document Verification form. For another division, ask that issuing office for its applicable route. |
| TÜV Rheinland | If the document has a TÜV Rheinland verification QR code, scan it and check the destination on Certipedia. TÜV Rheinland says the QR feature is included on request or under certain schemes, so an ordinary report may need direct confirmation from the issuing office. |
3. Compare what the issuer confirms with the PDF and your order. Check the available report number, client, sample description, date and result; confirm that any QR code leads to the issuer’s actual verification site. If verification fails or key fields differ, hold approval and contact the issuing laboratory. An authentic report still may not cover a newer board or barrier.
Step 5: Decide what to do with a gap, an inconclusive result or an exceedance
Different findings require different actions:
| Finding | Purchasing decision | Specific next request |
|---|---|---|
| Report covers base board, but the order includes a barrier | Evidence gap: do not extend the report’s claim to the full construction | Material-to-report map and evidence addressing the added barrier or representative article |
| “N.D.” has a reporting limit too high to resolve the threshold | Inconclusive: do not call the result either compliant or non-compliant on that basis alone | Laboratory explanation and a suitable lower-limit test if needed |
| A relevant, reliable result is at or above an applicable threshold | Hold this specification: investigate before approval | Confirmation of sample identity, method and result; source investigation and a revised, validated construction if necessary |
Not sure whether the report covers your exact barrier coating? Email DeChen Printing for a free preliminary document check. Include the complete PDF and the board, barrier and printing specification; we can flag the questions to resolve before you approve the order.
“Water-based” describes a formulation route; “bio-based” describes feedstock. Neither proves PFAS compliance. For a revised food boat intended for hot, oily food, check grease staining and structural integrity under representative use conditions alongside the chemical documentation.
For a supplier discussion, send a focused request rather than a generic demand for a “PPWR certificate”:
Please identify the material structure and specification version represented by report [number]. Our order includes [board], [barrier], [printing or other relevant components] for [food and use conditions]. Please map the available reports to this construction, explain any uncovered materials or changes since testing, and propose the evidence needed to close those gaps.
Record the intended food and contact conditions, approved construction, mapped report numbers and open questions. Retain the approved sample and material version for comparison with the next order.
Frequently asked questions
Does “PFAS not detected” mean the packaging is PFAS-free?
No such conclusion follows from those words alone. Read which substances were tested, what “not detected” means in that report, and the limits of the method. A screening method may also answer a different question from a targeted PFAS method.
Can a base-paper report support a coated food box or tray?
Yes, it may support the assessment of that base paper. It does not automatically cover a subsequently applied barrier, ink or adhesive. Map each document to the ordered construction and decide what additional evidence is necessary.
Does every size of the same package need a separate test?
Not necessarily. First establish whether the sizes share the same relevant material and processing specification. Then document why the tested sample represents the proposed range, and review the customer’s requirements. A change in the contact surface or formulation deserves a different assessment from a change in dimensions alone.
Is a total-fluorine result below 50 mg/kg enough?
A matching TF result below 50 mg/kg supports the Commission’s recommended first screening step. Record the result and sample match, then check any targeted results already held and the buyer’s specific requirements. An existing targeted exceedance still requires action.
Is a water-based grease barrier automatically PPWR-compliant?
No. Review the actual formulation, relevant test evidence and the representative packaging specification. Also verify grease resistance under the intended food-use conditions; a chemical claim and functional performance are separate purchasing questions.
Make the decision on the packaging you are actually buying
Finish with a documented decision: approve the defined specification, request specific missing evidence, or hold it for investigation. Keep every result tied to the current order.
For an EU-bound custom food packaging project, choose the next step that fits your situation:
Request a free preliminary document check. Email DeChen Printing the report PDF and the packaging specification it is meant to cover. We will identify mismatched materials, missing report details and questions to take back to the laboratory before discussing the package.
Request a free test sample box. Share the intended food, dimensions, barrier needs and destination market. Test the proposed structure with your product before approving the production specification.