Butylated hydroxyanisole (bha)

Studies in people

• Concern

  Additive intake in young children²

  In young children, eating butylated hydroxyanisole from foods like vegetable soups may exceed the safe daily amount.

• No harm found

  Stomach cancer risk⁴

  In people, eating butylated hydroxyanisole in foods like mayonnaise showed no clear link to stomach cancer.

• Open question

  Daily intake in children⁵

  Butylated hydroxyanisole intake stayed within safe limits for most people, but young children may sometimes take in more than recommended.

• No harm found

  Liver and kidney blood tests⁶

  In men, eating butylated hydroxyanisole for 10 days left liver and kidney blood tests unchanged.

• Open question

  How the body breaks it down⁸

  Butylated hydroxyanisole is changed in the body into another substance, which may explain some of its effects.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Blood vessel health¹³

  In lab and animal studies, butylated hydroxyanisole harmed blood vessel cells, but scientists do not yet know if this happens in people.

• Open question

  Gut bacteria¹⁴

  Butylated hydroxyanisole changed some gut bacteria genes but not the overall mix.

• Concern

  Hormone balance in tissues¹⁵

  In lab studies, butylated hydroxyanisole blocked an enzyme that controls a hormone, which may raise hormone action in kidneys and placentas.

• Concern

  Hormone-like effects in cells¹⁶

  In lab studies, BHA acted like the hormone estrogen in cells, though far weaker than the real hormone.

• Open question

  White blood cell growth¹⁷

  In lab studies, butylated hydroxyanisole and its related compounds made human white blood cells multiply faster.

Study type not stated

• Concern

  Health risks of additive⁹

  Several studies show butylated hydroxyanisole may cause thyroid damage, growth and metabolic problems, and cancer.

• Concern

  Cell and DNA damage¹⁰

  Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) can cause cell and DNA damage when absorbed in high doses through the gut.

• Benefit

  Cancer risk from food additives¹¹

  Studies show butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) poses no cancer hazard and may even help prevent cancer at normal food levels.

How it’s made and used

• Food sources of additive³

  In Lebanese children aged 9 to 18, bread and biscuits were the main sources of BHA.

• How much we eat⁷

  Butylated hydroxyanisole was not found in any of the Brazilian foods tested, and average eaters stayed below the daily limit.

• Additive not detected in food¹²

  In Korean foods tested, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) was not found in any sample.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them. IARC rates whether something can cause cancer at all, not how likely it is at the amounts in food.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1988

  Acceptable daily intake: up to 0.5 mg per kg of body weight.

• WHO cancer agency (IARC), 1987

  Possibly causes cancer in people (Group 2B).