Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) intake in Lebanese children and teenagers
What it found
Bread and biscuits were the biggest sources of butylhydroxyanisol (BHA) for children and teenagers in Beirut.
The authors found that some young people could take in more sulphites and BHT than recommended daily limits.
What they found
Studies in people
Main sources of BHA
Bread and biscuits provided the most BHA for the students studied in Lebanon.
Other additive sources
Soft drinks were the top source of benzoates. Nuts and canned juices supplied the most sulphites. Chewing gum was the main source of BHT.
Exceeding daily limits
The authors found that some students, especially those aged 9 to 13, could take in more sulphites and BHT than the acceptable daily amount. They did not report BHA exceeding this limit.
What the authors conclude
- They identified bread and biscuits as the main sources of BHA for the students tested.
- They note that a portion of the young population, particularly children aged 9 to 13, may exceed the acceptable daily intake for sulphites and BHT.
How it was done
Scientists wanted to measure how much of certain food additives young people in Lebanon actually eat. They focused on students who might get a lot of these additives from processed foods.
Researchers looked at 420 food and drink samples sold in Lebanon. They measured levels of four additives, including BHA, using official lab methods. They then matched those levels with what students aged 9 to 18 years old reported eating.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work only measured what students in Beirut ate, so it cannot show what happens in other countries or age groups.
- Measuring how much of an additive someone eats does not show whether it causes any health effects.
The paper
- Title
- Dietary exposure of children and teenagers to benzoates, sulphites, butylhydroxyanisol (BHA) and butylhydroxytoluen (BHT) in Beirut (Lebanon)
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Soubra L, Sarkis D, Hilan C, Verger P (2007). Dietary exposure of children and teenagers to benzoates, sulphites, butylhydroxyanisol (BHA) and butylhydroxytoluen (BHT) in Beirut (Lebanon). Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2006.07.005PubMed 16996185DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error