FDA Alerts Industry and Consumers about Palm Leaf Dinnerware
Constituent Update
May 8, 2025
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter informing retailers, distributors, and importers of dinnerware (bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery) manufactured from the sheath of leaves from the Areca catechu (A. catechu) plant that such dinnerware may not lawfully be offered for sale in the U.S.
Palm leaf dinnerware is made from leaves of the A. catechu palm tree, manufactured outside the U.S., and imported and sold online and in stores in the U.S. by major retailers. These products are marketed in the U.S. as an eco-friendly, compostable, disposable, and biodegradable alternative to single-use paper or plastic dinnerware. FDA research shows that naturally occurring toxins in these products migrate to food at levels that may pose a health risk to consumers. Therefore, the use of the sheath of A. catechu palm leaves in food contact articles such as dinnerware does not meet the statutory criteria for general recognition of safety (GRAS) and no authorizations exist for its use in food.
Naturally occurring toxic alkaloids, one of which is a known carcinogen, are present in various parts of the plant, including in the Areca (Betel) nut, which is the fruit seed of the A. catechu palm tree, and in the leaves. The FDA has taken action against other products sourced from these palm trees, including putting in place an Import Alert 23-15 on Areca nuts, because of health concerns related to dietary exposure to these alkaloids.
Given the limited information previously available about the safety of palm leaf dinnerware and the FDA’s concerns with the safety of the plant source for these products, the FDA conducted research that showed these alkaloids can migrate to food from the dinnerware under the intended use conditions. The FDA used the results from this research and, combined with the available toxicological data, has determined that use of this dinnerware may pose a long-term risk to health when used routinely. After evaluating the available toxicological data and the results of its own research, FDA has placed all dinnerware products manufactured from the sheath of leaves from the Areca catechu (A. catechu) plant on Import Alert (IA 23-15) to help prevent the importation of these products for sale in the U.S. market.
The health concerns arising from the results of FDA’s research and the available toxicological data are specific to dinnerware made from leaves of the A. catechu palm tree. Other plant-based dinnerware, such as those made with bamboo, sugar cane or sorghum, are outside the scope of this research. If consumers are unsure whether dinnerware are made of palm leaves, they should contact the product’s manufacturer.
In line with the FDA’s commitment to transparency, the agency included its evaluation of palm leaf dinnerware in a memorandum added to the public Post-market Determinations that the Use of a Substance is Not GRAS inventory. The FDA also maintains other public inventories listing effective Food Contact Notifications and completed GRAS Notices. The agency encourages the food industry to use these as a resource.
The FDA reminds industry to ensure food contact materials comply with FDA regulations and are of a purity suitable for their intended use, and to engage the agency about any questions on compliance and purity of food contact products before marketing products in the U.S.
The FDA is taking steps to protect public health, including adding palm leaf dinnerware to Import Alert 23-15 to prevent these products from coming into the country.