Can you eat wax paper?
Although waxed paper is not made to be eaten, things do happen. It’s easy not to notice that you have a piece of wax paper stuck to a piece of food.
Or maybe you tried really hard to get all the wax paper off, but some of it ripped and just won’t come off of that frozen food you want to snack on.
So can wax paper be eaten? The good news is that waxed paper is not toxic to ingest. While you shouldn’t sit down and eat a roll of wax paper, if you accidentally eat a piece, it probably won’t hurt.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the question can you eat wax paper?
Here we have given you the basics, but we are going to delve a little deeper into the subject so that you know in depth the waxed paper and what happens if you eat it.
Read on to find out what you need to know about eating wax paper and much more.
Can you eat waxed paper? The complete history
We suppose very few people want to eat waxed paper as a snack, but sometimes when you accidentally put a piece of waxed paper in your mouth with your food, we can see how it can cause some concern.
In general, waxed paper is not made to be eaten. It is not an ingredient or a food. Actually, it’s not even a digestible product, so it will go right through your system.
The exception that could cause a problem is if you eat a very large amount that could not pass through your system and create a blockage. This is an unlikely scenario, but we felt it important to mention it.
The thing is, if you eat a piece of wax paper that might be stuck to that brownie you’re eating, it’s not going to hurt you. Even if your body doesn’t digest it, it shouldn’t get stuck in your digestive tract and it shouldn’t cause you any illness.
You might have to take more measurements if you were to consume a really big piece of wax paper.
The concern in this case is not that it is detrimental to your health, but rather that the edges could cause cuts or lacerations to your internal systems or cause digestive problems by being too large to fit through.
Let’s break it down a bit more.
How safe is wax paper?
Wax paper is safe enough that you feel safe using it in your kitchen and with food.
It is a common kitchen utensil that we combine with food on a regular basis. However, it has to meet certain requirements to be considered safe for use in contact with food.
Wax paper is not normally used while cooking or baking, unless it is used at low temperatures. It can burn or catch fire if it’s at high temperatures for a long period of time, so it’s not usually the best for cooking, but that doesn’t mean it has many other uses.
Wax paper has a layer of wax, which means it has a low melting point. After all, candles are also made of wax, right? This is the one place in the kitchen where wax paper may not be super safe.
Wax paper could melt or smoke and even catch fire, so keep it out of the oven. Other than that though, you can use it for just about anything with your food.
Here are some of the most common safe uses for wax paper:
- Layer food for storage
- Line the refrigerator shelves
- Prepare food for freezing
- Make candies or cookies and put them to cool
- homemade kitchen funnel
- Use over ice cream to keep it cool
- Cover dishes in the microwave and reduce mess
- Coat the cutting boards
- Stretch the dough
- packaging sweets
As you can see, waxed paper can help with many things and is perfectly safe. Of course, you should avoid using it at high temperatures or in the oven. Other than that, waxed paper is perfectly safe for just about any use you may need.
Is waxed paper toxic?
One of the biggest concerns about eating a piece of waxed paper is that it could be toxic.
The good news is that waxed paper is safe for use with food and therefore non-toxic. Although it is not designed to be eaten, it is not toxic if you eat a piece.
You may feel the wax paper in your mouth and spit it out, or you may not realize you’ve eaten it until you’ve already swallowed it. But rest assured, waxed paper is generally non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry!
Wax paper is made from food-grade paraffin wax. It is a tissue paper that is triple waxed and coated. Remember that the coating is safe for food. Knowing that it’s coated in paraffin wax should put your mind at ease.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there is also organic waxed paper. This one is made from natural materials, so it won’t be toxic or unsafe if you get a bit of wax paper on it either.
Are there risks to eating waxed paper?
If you accidentally snag a piece of waxed paper on something you’re eating and don’t realize it, you don’t have to worry. This wax paper will probably pass through you without any damage or problems.
Waxed paper is not digested, so it will just wash out and shouldn’t harm your digestive system.
The potential risk of eating waxed paper occurs if you eat a large serving or piece of waxed paper, rather than a small piece.
It’s not clear how big it needs to be to cause a problem, since everyone’s body works differently, but it would have to be a significant amount to cause a problem.
If you eat a very large amount of wax paper, it may be a good idea to see your doctor to make sure it doesn’t get stuck in your system or possibly cause a tear or cut in your internal systems.
Is wax paper toxic if you cook with it or burn it?
Wax paper should not be toxic even if you cook with it or burn it by mistake. In general, wax paper is not toxic.
It burns or melts easily, but it won’t be toxic in those cases. It’s much better not to use it in circumstances that could lead to it burning or melting, but if you do, you should be fine.
The biggest concern if wax paper were to burn or melt would be how it might affect your food. Burning the paper or melting it could cause things to mix with your food.
Burning the waxed paper will cause smoke, and melting it could melt the wax into your food.
Related questions
Take a look at some of the related questions below for a little more information that might be helpful to you.
What happens if you bake with wax paper?
Baking is usually done at a fairly low temperature, so hopefully a fire won’t break out.
However, you may have some problems with wax paper melting into your food. Remember that it is made with wax and that wax can melt at high temperatures, so this will be the biggest concern.
Can you cook with waxed paper?
You can let things sit on the wax paper after cooking, but cooking with wax paper is not normally recommended.
It is not heat resistant, so you must take this facet into account. Parchment paper is a much better alternative when it comes to cooking with heat.
Can you eat with wax paper?
If possible. You obviously don’t want to eat the wax paper itself if you can help it, but you can use it as a surface.