FDA Alerts Industry and Consumers about Palm Leaf Dinnerware

On May 8, 2025, 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. 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. According to the content of Import Alert 23-15, currently, relevant departments in the US can detain dinnerware (bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery) made from leaves of the A. catechu palm tree without physical examination.

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 External Link Disclaimer 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. 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.  

CTT proposal:

CTT reminds enterprises exporting food contact materials to the US to ensure that the substance used in the product has been approved by the FDA for use as food additives, or that substance generally recognized as safe (GRAS). CTT can provide enterprises with one-stop comprehensive solutions for consulting, testing and training. For more detailed information, please contact us freely.