U.S. FDA Launches New Safety Review of BHA Preservative Used in foods
Washington, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday launched a comprehensive re-assessment of butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, a food preservative used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling and still found in some packaged foods, including products marketed to children.
The agency said it will evaluate whether BHA remains safe under its current conditions of use in food and as a food-contact substance, using the latest scientific information. As part of the effort, the FDA issued a Request for Information seeking data on how BHA is used and evidence related to its safety.
BHA has been used for decades, and the FDA listed it as “generally recognized as safe” in 1958 and approved it as a food additive in 1961. It can appear in items such as frozen meals, breakfast cereals, cookies, candy, ice cream and certain meat products. The FDA noted packaged-food label data suggest BHA use has declined in recent years, but it remains present in many products.
Health officials pointed to longstanding concerns from advocates and cited the National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program, which lists BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies. FDA leaders said the BHA review is part of a strengthened, more systematic post-market program the agency launched in 2025 to scrutinize chemicals already in the food supply.
What parents should know: If you’re trying to limit exposure now, check ingredient lists for “BHA,” compare similar products, and choose options that use different preservatives or none at all.
The FDA said it expects additional assessments after BHA, naming BHT and azodicarbonamide as likely next steps. Families can watch for updates through the agency’s “chemicals under FDA review” page and the BHA information request docket.
