BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)

Additive · E 321

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant that slows rancidity in fats and oils. It is used in some cereals, potato products, gum and food packaging. Labels may call it butylated hydroxytoluene or E 321. BHT is a different chemical from BHA.

Also known as

BHT · butylated hydroxytoluene · butylhydroxytoluene · dibutylhydroxytoluene · 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol · 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol · E 321 · E321 · INS 321

Common questions

Browse menu matches

Why is BHT added to food?

BHT is added as an antioxidant to slow the oxidation of fats and oils, helping delay rancidity. Its full name is butylated hydroxytoluene. Open a matching menu item below to see how it appears in that food’s ingredient statement.

FDA explanation of BHT in food

Which restaurants list BHT?

Explore BHT matches from these restaurant menus:

Baja Fresh · Dairy Queen · Del Taco · Firehouse Subs · IHOP · Jack in the Box · Jersey Mike's · Jimmy John's · KFC · McAlister's Deli · Pizza Hut · Popeyes · Sbarro · Whataburger

Which menu items list BHT?

Browse 118 menu matches for BHT. Search by item name or choose a restaurant, then open an item to read its ingredient statement and any listed alternatives.

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Why PRūF tracks it

Higher-dose animal effects and newer human biomarker associations warrant attention, but available studies do not establish that BHT added to food causes cancer, impaired development or infertility at ordinary dietary exposure.

Read the research

BHT has animal toxicity findings and emerging human associations, but its effects at ordinary food intake remain uncertain. Higher oral doses affected the liver, thyroid and offspring growth in animals. Cancer results are mixed: one long rat study found more liver tumors, while an NTP rat-and-mouse study did not conclude that BHT caused cancer under its test conditions. EFSA set a daily intake limit of 0.25 mg per kilogram of body weight, using a safety margin below animal effect levels.

Newer human studies deserve attention. A 2026 study followed 1,239 mother-child pairs and linked some prenatal BHT-related urine chemicals with lower developmental scores at age three. A separate fertility-clinic study linked several BHT-related chemicals with lower ovarian reserve. These studies cannot identify BHT added to food as the cause: measured chemicals can come from several sources, and other exposures or health differences may affect the results.

An older dietary study found no significant stomach-cancer association, but covered only that outcome at low estimated intake. FDA is reassessing BHT; existing US uses remain permitted with limits. Louisiana school-food restrictions begin in the 2028–29 school year. The review considers unresolved human signals and exposure gaps, and does not mean that harm has been ruled out.

Research reviewed on September 5, 2026 · 12 sources