FDA Reviews Food Preservative BHA
The FDA is reviewing the safety of food preservative BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), a common additive in processed foods. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ordered a formal review of ingredients in ultra-processed foods, reflecting growing governmental concern about processed food consumption.
- BHA was first listed as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) by the FDA in 1958 and was approved as a food additive in 1961. It is a synthetic antioxidant made from petroleum that is used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling in a wide variety of products, including frozen meals, cereals, cookies, and meat products. - Despite its long-standing approval, the National Toxicology Program has classified BHA as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on studies in animals. A 1990 petition to the FDA to have the chemical banned from food has not yet received a response. - For decades, health advocates have raised concerns about the potential health risks of BHA. In addition to its classification by the National Toxicology Program, California has listed BHA as a known carcinogen under its Proposition 65 since 1990. - The European Union is reviewing BHA for its potential to disrupt the endocrine system. The European Commission on Endocrine Disruption has already determined there is strong evidence that BHA is a human endocrine disruptor. - This review of BHA is part of a broader initiative by the FDA, which began in May 2025, to re-evaluate chemicals currently in the food supply. The agency has identified BHA as a top priority for this post-market assessment. - As part of its reassessment, the FDA has issued a formal Request for Information to gather the latest scientific data on the use and safety of BHA in food and as a substance in food packaging. - Following the assessment of BHA, the FDA has indicated it expects to conduct similar reviews for other common food additives, including butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide.
