Butylated hydroxyanisole
E320
E320, BHA, butylated hydroxyanisole, hidroxianisol butilado, tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, butylhydroxyanisole
What it is
BHA (E320) is a synthetic antioxidant added to foods containing fats and oils to slow oxidation and stop them from going rancid.
Why BOTIA flags it
BHA prevents fats from going rancid. IARC classifies it as possibly carcinogenic to humans, and JECFA set an acceptable daily intake after reviewing carcinogenicity findings and other toxicology evidence. That does not tell you how much BHA is in a particular product, but it does mean long-term intake is not treated as unlimited.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E320, BHA and its declared chemical names in the ingredient list.
- Show IARC's Group 2B classification and JECFA's acceptable daily intake of 0–0.5 mg/kg body weight per day.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how much BHA is present in a particular product when the amount is not declared.
- Turn an IARC hazard classification or a JECFA intake limit into the cancer risk of a particular product or person.