In 1990, a petition was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by a doctor requesting the ban of the food additive butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). More than three decades later, the FDA has yet to respond. BHA is a preservative commonly used in cured meats and over 4,600 food products. While BHA is still widely used, research has raised concerns about its potential carcinogenic effects on humans. It has been classified as a known carcinogen under California’s Proposition 65 and by the National Toxicology Program.
The FDA classified BHA as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) in 1958 without conducting a formal safety review. Despite the agency’s acknowledgment of uncertainties surrounding BHA’s toxicity and liver impact in 1978, it has remained on the market. Although California and other scientific bodies have since classified BHA as potentially harmful, the FDA has not revisited its safety status.
Public petitions, such as Dr. Glenn Scott’s 1990 request to ban BHA, remain unresolved. The FDA, despite legal obligations to address such petitions within 180 days, has failed to act on this or other related issues for decades. The U.S. food system continues to use BHA in many products, including those from major brands like Campbell’s and Boar’s Head.
The FDA’s slow action is part of a broader issue with its food chemical review system. Nearly 99% of food chemicals introduced since 2000 were approved by the industry rather than the FDA. The agency rarely reevaluates food chemicals, even when new research suggests potential harm. As a result, many chemicals, including food dyes and preservatives, have remained in circulation without a modern safety review.
Some states have begun to take action independently of the FDA. In 2023, California became the first state to ban certain chemicals, including BHA. Similar legislation has been introduced in New York and Pennsylvania. The FDA is in the process of reorganizing its food safety review program, but it is still unclear how effective these changes will be in addressing the safety of chemicals already on the market.
For consumers seeking to reduce their exposure to BHA and other harmful additives, there are options. Vitamin E can be used as a safer alternative to BHA, and natural oils have similar antioxidant properties. In the meantime, consumers are encouraged to consult databases like EWG’s Food Scores to find products without harmful additives and to opt for organic foods when possible.
