Butylated hydroxytoluene

What this is

BHT is regulated primarily as a fat-soluble antioxidant rather than as a general preservative for every food. The U.S. still permits BHT under a GRAS tolerance tied to fat or oil content and under separate direct-additive limits for certain foods, but FDA has begun a post-market review of BHT in food and food-contact materials. Codex, Canada, and the EU treat BHT as an allowed additive with category-specific conditions, not as a substance broadly banned from all food. Toxicology reviews focus on animal endpoints such as reproductive or litter effects, liver enzyme induction, and thyroid-related changes, with acceptable daily intakes set below those effect levels. EFSA reported no genotoxicity concern and treated carcinogenicity as thresholded; NTP did not find BHT carcinogenic in its rat/mouse bioassay. The policy picture is now mixed: Louisiana restricts BHT in covered school foods and requires QR-code disclosure for foods containing it, while FDA's review means the U.S. federal position may change.

Safety Review

The health areas reviewed when evaluating an ingredient. This does not mean the ingredient is proven to cause harm.

Toxicology reviews focus on higher-dose animal effects such as hepatic enzyme induction, thyroid-related changes, and rat two-generation litter/pup effects used for ADI selection. NTP did not find BHT carcinogenic in its standard rat/mouse bioassay, but FDA is reviewing dietary exposure, toxicity, and GRAS/prior-sanctioned uses.