The short answer
Polypropylene is the workhorse for reusable food containers: it takes the microwave and dishwasher, and impact copolymer grades take the freezer. HDPE and LDPE cover jugs, pails, squeeze bottles and film. PET is the clear single-use choice but is not for hot food. Copolyester replaced polycarbonate in many clear reusable items. Whatever the resin, the grade needs a producer’s compliance letter that covers your food type and temperature.
“Food safe” is not a property of a resin family. It depends on the grade, what is added to it, the food it touches and how hot it gets. This page compares the resins. For the paperwork side, see what FDA food-contact compliance means and our FDA and medical grades.
Food-contact resins compared
| Resin | Typical food uses | Max use temp (approx.) | Microwave / dishwasher / freezer | Clarity | Common 21 CFR section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polypropylene (PP) | Reusable storage, deli and yogurt cups, lids, caps, microwave trays, hot-fill | ~100°C (212°F); some grades higher briefly | Microwave: yes, the usual choice. Dishwasher: yes. Freezer: impact copolymer yes; homopolymer turns brittle | Translucent; clarified random copolymer near-clear | 177.1520 |
| HDPE | Milk and juice jugs, bulk pails, cutting boards, caps | ~80°C (176°F) | Microwave: not designed for it. Dishwasher: generally fine, top rack. Freezer: excellent | Translucent to opaque | 177.1520 |
| LDPE / LLDPE | Film, bags, squeeze bottles, flexible lids, liners | ~60–80°C (140–176°F) | Microwave: no. Dishwasher: low heat only; can distort. Freezer: excellent | Translucent; clear as film | 177.1520 |
| PET | Water and soda bottles, jars, clamshells, salad and bakery containers | ~60–70°C (140–158°F); crystallized CPET trays to ~220°C (428°F) | Microwave: no, except CPET trays. Dishwasher: no. Freezer: yes | Clear (CPET is opaque) | 177.1630 |
| Copolyester | Reusable bottles, blender jars, food storage, bulk bins | PETG-type ~60–70°C (140–158°F); higher-heat types ~85–100°C (185–212°F) | Microwave: only if the grade’s letter covers it. Dishwasher: higher-heat types yes, PETG-type no. Freezer: yes | Clear, glass-like | Varies by type; some by FCN |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | Water cooler bottles, food-service pans, pitchers | ~115–125°C (239–257°F) in air; long hot-water exposure degrades it | Microwave: some uses. Dishwasher: yes, but alkaline detergent and repeated hot cycles cause clouding and cracking. Freezer: tough when cold | Clear | 177.1580 |
| Polystyrene (GPPS, HIPS, foam) | Disposable cups, cutlery, plates, clamshells, dairy cups | ~70–80°C (158–176°F) | Microwave: no, unless the item is labeled for it. Dishwasher: no. Freezer: HIPS yes; GPPS brittle | GPPS clear; HIPS opaque | 177.1640 |
| Acrylic (PMMA) | Display bins, dispensers, serving trays, sneeze guards | ~70–80°C (158–176°F) | Microwave: no. Dishwasher: hand washing is safer; it can craze. Freezer: OK | Clear; best optics | 177.1010 |
Typical values for general-purpose grades; individual grades vary. Temperatures are rough service limits for unloaded parts, not compliance limits. The conditions of use in the producer’s letter for your grade govern, and microwave or dishwasher suitability belongs to the finished article.
Polycarbonate and BPA
Polycarbonate is made from bisphenol A (BPA), and traces can migrate into food, more so with heat, age and alkaline washing. FDA still lists polycarbonate under 21 CFR 177.1580 and has said BPA is safe at current exposure levels. It removed polycarbonate baby bottles and sippy cups from the regulation in 2012, and BPA-based coatings in infant formula packaging in 2013, because industry had already stopped those uses.
Buyer demand moved faster than regulation. Many brands switched reusable bottles and food storage to copolyester, PP or glass so they could sell “BPA-free.” In the EU, Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 bans BPA in most food contact materials, including polycarbonate. Most BPA-based food contact articles could no longer be first placed on the EU market after 20 July 2026; a few uses, including professional food-production equipment, have until 20 January 2028. If your parts are exported, ask your customer before quoting polycarbonate. See polycarbonate alternatives.
Parts for food machinery
Machinery parts are mostly engineering resins. Acetal (21 CFR 177.2470 copolymer, 177.2480 homopolymer, repeated-use articles) is common for conveyor parts, valves and fillers; copolymer handles hot water and cleaning chemicals better. Nylon (177.1500) suits gears and wear parts that stay dry. UHMW-PE is the standard for wear strips and guides. Polysulfone, PPSU, PEEK and PVDF handle hot water, steam and cleaning. Blue and metal-detectable grades are common so that broken pieces can be found in product. See acetal and UHMW-PE.
Commercial food equipment is usually evaluated to NSF/ANSI 51 (food equipment materials), which covers composition, cleanability and surface. It is separate from an FDA letter. Materials are listed to NSF/ANSI 51, often by the resin producer, and the finished equipment is evaluated to its own NSF equipment standard.
What “FDA compliant” actually means
- The producer states compliance. FDA does not approve or test grades. The producer’s letter names the grade and cites a 21 CFR section or Food Contact Notification.
- Limits come with it. Each section limits food types and conditions of use. FDA’s lettered conditions run from heat-sterilized above 212°F (100°C) through hot fill, room temperature, refrigerated and frozen storage, reheating in the container, and cooking above 250°F (121°C).
- Everything added must comply. Colorants (commonly 21 CFR 178.3297), additives and concentrates need their own statements at your let-down ratio.
- Recycled content: buyers normally ask for the recycler’s FDA no-objection letter covering its process, your resin and your use. The review is voluntary, but it is what most customers expect.
- The finished article is the manufacturer’s responsibility, including the food and temperature it will see.
For Europe, Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 limits plastics to substances on the Union list, sets an overall migration limit of 10 mg/dm² plus specific migration limits, and requires a declaration of compliance at each step of the supply chain.
Microwave, dishwasher and freezer
Microwave: the food heats the plastic, and oily or sugary food can get well above 100°C (212°F). A container that is fine with soup can distort under oily food. The letter must cover reheating or cooking in the container.
Dishwasher: home machines wash at about 50–65°C (122–149°F) and sanitize cycles reach a final rinse of at least 66°C (150°F). Commercial high-temperature machines rinse at about 82°C (180°F) with strong alkaline detergent. That is where polycarbonate clouds, PETG-type copolyester warps, and polystyrene and acrylic crack.
Freezer: PP homopolymer and general-purpose polystyrene turn brittle. Impact copolymer PP, polyethylene, copolyester and polycarbonate stay tough. See PP homopolymer vs. impact copolymer.
What to send us for a quote
- The grade you run now, or the container and its process (injection, blow molding, thermoforming)
- Food type, fill and use temperature, and whether it is microwaved or dishwashed
- Markets (U.S., Canada, EU) and the documents your customer wants
- Color, and any recycled-content target
- Quantity for this order and per year, and ship-to city
Common questions
What is the best plastic for food containers?
For reusable containers, polypropylene is the usual choice because it handles the microwave, dishwasher and, in impact copolymer grades, the freezer. HDPE suits jugs and bulk containers, PET suits clear single-use bottles and clamshells, and copolyester suits clear reusable items.
Which plastics are microwave safe?
Polypropylene is the most common, along with crystallized PET (CPET) trays and some polycarbonate and copolyester grades. Standard PET, polystyrene, LDPE and acrylic are not suited to microwave heating unless the finished item is labeled for it. Microwave suitability belongs to the finished article and its compliance limits, not just the resin.
Does the FDA approve plastic resins for food contact?
No. FDA does not approve or test individual grades. The resin producer states in a letter that the grade complies with a 21 CFR section or Food Contact Notification for stated food types and conditions of use, and the finished article is the manufacturer’s responsibility.
Is polycarbonate still allowed for food contact?
In the U.S., yes, under 21 CFR 177.1580, except baby bottles and sippy cups, which FDA removed in 2012 as an abandoned use. The EU banned BPA in most food contact materials, including polycarbonate, under Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, with short sell-off periods for existing articles.
What plastics are used for food processing machinery?
Acetal, UHMW-PE and nylon for wear parts, and polysulfone, PPSU, PEEK and PVDF for hot or wet parts. Commercial food equipment is usually evaluated to NSF/ANSI 51, which is separate from FDA food-contact compliance.
Can recycled plastic be used in food containers?
Usually only with an FDA no-objection letter for the recycler’s process. The letter is voluntary but is what most customers ask for, and it covers stated resin types, food types and temperatures.
What does EU 10/2011 require?
It limits plastic food-contact materials to substances on the Union list, sets an overall migration limit of 10 mg/dm² and specific migration limits, and requires a declaration of compliance through the supply chain.
Tell us the container and the food
A polymer chemist reviews every request, then matches your grade or finds a qualified equivalent and prices it.
What to send for an accurate quote
- The grade name, from any supplier, or a data sheet
- Color (natural, black or a custom match)
- Fill type and percentage, if any
- Melt flow, if you know it
- Quantity for this order and what you use in a year
- Ship-to city and state or province