In 2025 the US Food and Drug Administration placed dinnerware made from the leaf sheaths of the Areca catechu palm on Import Alert 23-15. If you import palm leaf plates into the United States, this page explains what the alert says, what it does not say, and which materials sit outside it. We manufacture both areca and bagasse tableware, so we will be straight with you about our own product range rather than sell around the problem.
What the FDA actually published
- FDA concluded that dinnerware made from Areca catechu palm leaf sheaths does not meet the criteria for Generally Recognized as Safe for food contact use.
- Because there is no authorization for that use, FDA treats it as an unsafe food additive under Section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
- Districts may detain shipments without physical examination under Import Alert 23-15.
- FDA states that other plant based dinnerware, including bamboo, sugar cane and sorghum, is outside the scope of that research.
You can read the FDA notice yourself rather than take our summary of it: FDA alerts industry and consumers about palm leaf dinnerware.
The part importers get wrong
Two things are worth saying plainly, because both cost money if you get them wrong.
A history of clean shipments is not evidence about future ones. Detention without physical examination is a change in enforcement posture. Containers that cleared before the alert existed cleared under different conditions. If a supplier reassures you that they have shipped areca to the US for years and it has never been a problem, that statement is about the past, not about your next container.
Being outside the scope of the alert is not an FDA approval. Sugarcane bagasse is not covered by Import Alert 23-15, and we will not dress that up as something more than it is. It means this particular alert does not apply. It does not mean FDA has cleared any specific product, ours included. Your own compliance review still applies, and you should still ask for documentation.
What we supply that sits outside the alert
Sugarcane bagasse is the fibrous material left after cane juice is pressed. It is heat pressed into sturdy, grease and water resistant foodservice items, and it is the closest direct replacement for palm leaf plates in a US foodservice or retail programme.
- Hinged clamshells and takeaway boxes in 6×6″, 8×8″, 9×6″ and 9×9″, single, 2 and 3 compartment, 50 pieces per pack.
- Meal trays with and without lids, 3, 4, 5 and 8 compartment layouts, 25 or 50 pieces per pack.
- Compartment plates, bowls, snack trays, and round and square plates to complete a serving line.
See the full bagasse tableware range, the compostable takeout containers page, or what bagasse actually is if the material is new to you.
Our other lines that are not made from Areca catechu leaf: bamboo toothbrushes, birchwood cutlery, coconut shell bowls, bio cups and sal leaf tableware, which is made from Shorea robusta, a different tree entirely.
Switching a programme from palm leaf to bagasse
| Step | What happens | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Match the sizes | We map your current palm leaf SKUs to the nearest bagasse shapes and pack counts | At quote stage |
| Sample carton | You test the replacements with your own menu or customers before committing | Air freight, fastest route |
| 20ft container | Full run for a single market | 22 to 25 days production |
| 40ft container | Larger programme or several lines together | 28 to 30 days production |
The minimum order is set per product and shown on each product page, with 25 boxes of any one product as the working guide. We do not publish per unit prices, because the number depends on the mix, pack format, destination port and volume. Send the mix and we will quote it.
Documentation
Arbhu is a manufacturer. We run our own production facilities in India and hold ISO 9001, SGS testing, an Importer Exporter Code, FIEO membership, Phytosanitary certification, Certificate of Origin and PQ documentation, and we are registered under Startup India. Food contact and compostability requirements differ by material and by destination market, so tell us that you are importing into the United States and we will confirm in writing exactly what we can supply for bagasse before you order. You can review what we hold on our certifications page.
We are not REX registered, so for origin proof we supply a chamber of commerce Certificate of Origin.
Questions US importers ask
Does Import Alert 23-15 cover sugarcane bagasse?
No. FDA states that bamboo, sugar cane and sorghum dinnerware are outside the scope of the research behind the alert. That is not an approval of any specific product, and your own compliance review still applies.
Do you still make areca palm leaf plates?
Yes, and we ship them to buyers outside the United States. We are not going to tell a US importer that the alert is not a problem, because FDA may detain those shipments without physical examination.
Can bagasse handle hot and oily food?
Yes. It is grease and water resistant and is used for hot service in restaurants, cloud kitchens and meal prep programmes.
What is the minimum order?
Set per product and shown on each product page, with 25 boxes of any one product as the guide. Ask for a quote on your specific mix.
How quickly can you replace a palm leaf programme?
A 20ft container takes 22 to 25 days to produce and a 40ft container 28 to 30 days, after sizes are matched and a sample carton is approved.
Start with a quote request listing your current palm leaf SKUs and volumes, and we will map them to bagasse equivalents.
