We all enjoy tasty food that is safe to eat. Our greaseproof papers support both goals. They preserve the flavour, aroma and appearance of food. In addition to that, they are made from fresh fibre and are free of harmful chemicals like PFAS, meeting high food safety standards.
Fresh fibre means at least two things relevant to good food: more stable quality than with recycled fibres and less risks from chemicals .
“Don’t misunderstand this. Recycling is an extremely positive activity. Our greaseproof papers are biodegradable, compostable and recyclable. However, we never use recycled fibre in products that are used in baking and cooking ,” says Eija Saski, Manager, Product Safety & Sustainability.
It is about safety, of course. For the same reason we do not use chemicals in achieving greaseproofness of paper in our production. It is achieved by refining, which is basically simple, mechanical fibre treatment.
“Product safety is a prerequisite for us. The production process is controlled by regular monitoring, recording of findings and training of personnel,” says Eija Saski.
All products are regularly tested for food contact suitability by accredited third-party laboratories. We know our raw materials and use only materials that are approved for food contact use.
Convenient for the customers
Safety and food preservation are key features of products, but they are not the only ones. Customers expect products to be easy to use. Much development is also done for that.
For us at Metsä GPP, product safety and product quality go hand-in-hand. We aim to stand out in the market with our unique value chain, high quality products and controlled and verified product safety, which makes us a risk-free supplier for our customers
A fossil-free future
Metsä Group has ambitious targets to reduce dependence on fossil fuels as we aim for fully fossil-free mills by 2030
“As part of that, one of our targets is ‘fossil-free raw materials by 2030’. Metsä Group has reporting in place for all raw materials and packaging, which is used in our Group’s products. Metsä Greaseproof Papers’ score at the end of 2023 was already 99.6%,” Saski says.
One big reason behind the exceptionally high rating is pulp. Wood fibre is fossil-free and renewable.
Furthermore, thanks to a new packaging line in Mänttä, we were able to reduce the amount of plastic also in product packaging. New reel wrapping is mostly kraft paper with only a thin layer of plastic between kraft papers to protect the product from moisture.
“We and our customers share the same goals in reducing the use of fossil materials. That inspires us to work even harder towards common goals everyday,” says Eija Saski.
This is an article series about Metsä Greaseproof Papers sustainable value chain. Article series will be published during the fall 2024.