US FDA to reassess safety of food preservative BHA after cancer concerns
Key takeaways
- The US FDA is reassessing BHA, a long-approved synthetic food preservative used across multiple categories.
- The review follows longstanding concerns about carcinogenicity raised by the National Toxicology Program.
- The move signals tighter GRAS oversight and possible future reviews of similar additives, such as BHT.
The US FDA has launched a reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a commonly used food preservative. It is reviewing its safety in current applications based on the latest scientific information.
The move is part of the agency’s efforts to review the chemical additives used in today’s food industry. It was identified as a top priority for a reassessment due to concerns about BHA’s safety in food.
Health advocates, including the country’s National Institute of Health, have expressed concerns for decades.
“BHA has remained in the food supply for decades despite being identified by the National Toxicology Program as ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’ based on animal studies,” states US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety. If BHA cannot meet today’s gold-standard science for its current uses, we will remove it from the food supply and continue cleaning up food chemicals — starting where children face the greatest exposure.”
Reforming GRAS
The FDA listed BHA as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) in 1958, and it was approved as a food additive in 1961.
It can be found in various food products, including breakfast cereals.It can be found in breakfast cereals, cookies, candy, ice cream, meat products, and frozen meals. It is used to prevent spoilage of the oils and fats in these products.
Marty Makary, FDA commissioner, comments: “We are taking decisive action to ensure that chemicals in our food supply are not causing harm.”
“The scientific community has raised significant concerns about some chemicals currently in the food supply. Once we complete our assessment of BHA, we expect to conduct similar assessments for butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic preservative known as BHT.”
The FDA says it is reforming its GRAS framework, aiming to increase transparency of the food supply by bringing greater oversight into chemical reviews and addressing independent GRAS conclusions.
It is also aligning with the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s Strategy Report, which identifies market reviews of chemical food additives as a key priority. This includes food contact substances, GRAS substances, and color additives, says the FDA.
Kyle Diamantas, deputy commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA, says the agency is committed to ensuring the safety of chemicals in the food supply through rigorous, science-based evaluation.
“This comprehensive post-market assessment of BHA reflects our proactive approach to food safety and our dedication to protecting public health by continuously reviewing the latest scientific evidence.”
