Food Grade vs Industrial Cling Film: Key Differences and Why They Matter

1. Base Materials: Polymer Choice Determines Safety

• Food Grade Cling Film
  Typically made from PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) or PE (Polyethylene – LDPE or LLDPE).

  • PVC food wrap film relies on food-contact-safe plasticizers and stabilizers for softness, clarity, and cling.

  • PE cling film does not require traditional plasticizers; its cling is achieved with PIB (Polyisobutylene) or other approved tackifiers.
    Learn more: Food Wrap Film

• Industrial Cling Film
  Often produced from LLDPE, designed for tensile strength and puncture resistance in packaging and logistics. The formula may include non-food-contact additives, making it unsuitable for direct contact with food.
  Related reading: Stretch Wrap Film

2. Plasticizer and Tackifier Systems: Ratio and Source Are Critical

In food grade PVC cling film, the plasticizer content typically ranges from 20%–40%, depending on desired flexibility and clarity. Our products use ESBO (Epoxidized Soybean Oil) as a food-contact-safe plasticizer, offering key advantages:

1. High Safety – Derived from soybean oil, with low odor, low migration, and compliance with global food-contact regulations.

2. Heat Stability – ESBO captures HCl released during PVC processing, preventing yellowing and improving aging resistance.

3. Performance Benefits – Improves transparency, low-temperature flexibility, and reduces plasticizer migration.

By contrast, industrial cling film may contain phthalate-based or mineral oil-based additives that are not safe for direct food contact and can migrate into food, especially under heat.

3. Regulatory Compliance

• Food Grade Cling Film must comply with:

  • EU (EC) No 1935/2004 and (EU) No 10/2011

  • FDA 21 CFR

  • China GB 4806 / GB 9685
    And pass Overall Migration Limit (OML) and Specific Migration Limit (SML) tests.

• Industrial Cling Film
  Does not meet food contact regulations and only needs to pass general physical performance tests. No food safety assurance is provided.

4. Physical Performance Comparison

More options: Heat Shrink Film

5. Risks and Purchasing Advice

• Never use industrial cling film for direct food wrapping due to migration risks.

• For food-grade purchases, request formulation details, Declaration of Compliance (DoC), and test reports.

• For industrial applications, choose Stretch Wrap Film for load securing.

6. Conclusion: Safety First, Source Matters

Food grade cling film is not just packaging — it’s a safety barrier between food and the environment. Choosing food grade means:

• Safe and controlled plasticizer ratios

• Traceable additive sources (such as ESBO soybean oil)

• Full compliance with international food-contact regulations

Industrial cling film should remain in logistics and non-food contact packaging.