TikTok Has Demonized This Type Of Parchment Paper — Here’s What Experts Say Is Safe

Parchment paper, a commonly used tool in baking and cooking, has recently been all the talk on social media, with folks claiming that white and brown parchment paper aren’t equally safe to use in the kitchen.
On TikTok especially, users have been chronicling their supermarket journeys, extolling the praises of one type of parchment paper over the other, with some also finding third options. Dig deep enough into the world of social media and you’ll find entire reviews regarding specific brands of each product. Clearly, people have opinions.
We asked food safety experts and nutritionists about the topic to find out whether we should always opt for one type of parchment paper over the other.
Chemically speaking, the two products differ in one main aspect: brown parchment paper is unbleached and therefore chlorine-free, while white parchment paper is bleached. Although nobody really seems to dispute that fact, the main questions involve whether the bleached product is automatically “bad” for your health and whether it affects the way food is baked.
On Reddit especially, there are entire threads dedicated to the topic. “The color doesn’t affect the bake,” one user wrote. Someone else on the platform revealed their distaste for any sort of parchment paper “or single use kitchen product,” in a way challenging everyone else’s stance on the brown vs. white parchment paper debate.
“Parchment paper is great for baking cookies, roasting vegetables and any time you need a nonstick surface,” said registered nutritionist and diet consultant Catherine Gervacio. “It prevents food from sticking, makes cleanup easier and can help with even cooking.”
Of course, there are other options like aluminum foil (which has also recently come under fire) that work well with grilling, roasting, and other high-heat applications. However, foil isn’t nonstick and might require the use of additional sprays or oils that you may rather avoid.
Not using any sort of wrapping in the oven “is also good,” said Gervacio, but the practice may require loads of oil, which, in turn, will lead to longer cleaning times and additional calories.
The main difference between brown and white parchment paper involves the treatment of the product prior to use.
According to food scientist Bryan Quoc Le, a food chemist and industry consultant based in Washington state, white parchment paper is treated with chlorinating or oxidizing agents. Brown parchment paper, on the other hand, does not use as many chemical treatments in its manufacturing and is compostable.
As noted by Gervacio, chemically speaking, the “white paper has undergone extra steps to remove its natural brown color.”
That being said, Le explained that brown parchment paper is, paradoxically, more energy-intensive to manufacture compared with white parchment paper.
“It contains a higher percentage of lignin [a natural polymer], which is more difficult to machine than treated white parchment paper,” he said. So, white parchment paper is more chemically treated, but brown parchment paper requires more work to be kept in its natural form.
Experts agree that, overall, both types of parchment paper yield similar culinary results in terms of texture and flavor. However, there are certain pros and cons to keep in mind when selecting which product to use — most of them highly dependent on the chemical treatment involved in the manufacturing of the items.
“Brown paper is more eco-friendly because it’s unbleached, so there is reduced concern about potential chemical residues from bleaching,” said Gervacio. However, she also noted that the product may not be as widely available as the white option.
When discussing the benefits of white parchment paper, Le was quick to note its higher hygiene value.
“It allows [cooks] to see any contaminants easier than they would with brown parchment paper,” he said, explaining that cooking on a white surface better enables you to see if there are any odd substances that made their way into the food.
Although less eco-friendly, white parchment paper is generally easier to find in the average store, which might make it a better option for some shoppers.
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Although the differences between the two products are widely noted, Gervacio did point out that there haven’t yet been studies conducted proving brown paper’s overall superiority.
“Both brown and white parchment paper are safe to use, so there’s no need to stress,” she said. “The brown version is seen as a slightly more eco-conscious choice because it’s unbleached, but it doesn’t offer extra nutritional benefits. It’s more about personal preference and environmental values than a health risk with either option.”
Le concurred. “Parchment paper is quite safe to use,” he said, “as long as it does not reach its burning point of 425 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven.”
However, if looking for another option entirely, Gervacio suggests investing in silicone baking mats. “They are a reusable option that can reduce waste,” she said. “Do know that parchment paper is compostable, though, while silicone mats are not biodegradable.”