FDA Launches Assessment of BHA, a Common Food Chemical Preservative

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched a comprehensive re-assessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in food. The review will consider whether BHA is safe under its current conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance, based on the latest scientific information. As part of this re-assessment, the agency issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the use and safety of BHA.

This is part of the FDA’s broader efforts to proactively review chemical additives in the food supply. In May 2025, the FDA launched a strengthened program to review chemicals currently in the food supply. FDA identified BHA as a top priority for review. The FDA’s post-market assessment of BHA used in food is one of several ongoing post-market assessments under the agency's enhanced systematic process for scrutinizing chemicals in our food supply.

“BHA has remained in the food supply for decades despite being identified by the National Toxicology Program as ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’ based on animal studies,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety. If BHA cannot meet today’s gold-standard science for its current uses, we will remove it from the food supply and continue cleaning up food chemicals—starting where children face the greatest exposure.”

FDA listed BHA as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in 1958 and approved it as a food additive in 1961. It is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils and can be found in various food products including frozen meals, breakfast cereals, cookies, candy, ice cream, and meat products. While packaged food label data indicate BHA use has declined in recent years, it remains present in many food products, including those marketed to children.

“We are taking decisive action to ensure that chemicals in our food supply are not causing harm,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “The scientific community has raised significant concerns about some chemicals currently in the food supply. Once we complete our assessment of BHA, we expect to conduct similar assessments for butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic preservative known as BHT, and azodicarbonamide — a chemical used in yoga mats and also used as a dough conditioner.”

“The FDA is committed to ensuring the safety of chemicals in our food supply through rigorous, science-based evaluation,” said Kyle Diamantas, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. “This comprehensive post-market assessment of BHA reflects our proactive approach to food safety and our dedication to protecting public health by continuously reviewing the latest scientific evidence.”

For decades, health advocates have raised potential safety concerns regarding the use of BHA. The NIH’s National Toxicology Program lists BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies. BHA was recommended for re-assessment in several comments submitted to the public meeting docket for the Development of an Enhanced Systematic Process for FDA's Post-Market Assessment of Chemicals in Food that closed in January 2025.

The MAHA Commission’s Strategy Report identified as a key priority the post market review of chemical additives in food, including food additives, food contact substances, GRAS substances, and color additives. The FDA intends to propose a regulation to close the GRAS loophole, which has allowed food manufacturers to unilaterally conclude that the use of a food chemical is GRAS without notifying FDA of their conclusion.

For more information about the Request for Information on BHA, visit List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review.

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The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.