Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (E320)
- Food Caution
What is Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (E320)?
BHA (E320) is an antioxidant that keeps fats in snacks and gum from going rancid. High doses caused tumours in a stomach part rodents have but people don't, and normal intake stays under the safe daily limit. The caution is because the WHO's cancer agency lists it as a possible cause of cancer, though harm in people hasn't been shown.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)?
Yasno’s verdict on Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Caution. Some evidence of a concern, it depends on the amount, or it is genuinely worth knowing. A Caution always has a specific, sourced reason.
Is Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) allowed in the EU?
EU status of Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA): Listed in Yasno’s EU regulatory data, with no further details recorded. Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Listed in Yasno’s EU regulatory data, with no further details recorded | Not recorded |
Sources
- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1986
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of butylated hydroxyanisole — BHA (E 320) as a food additive, European Food Safety Authority, 2011
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
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