Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an antioxidant consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds, 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. It is prepared from 4-methoxyphenol and isobutylene. It is a waxy solid used as a food additive with the E number E320. The primary use for BHA is as an antioxidant and preservative in food, food packaging, animal feed, cosmetics, rubber, and petroleum products. BHA also is commonly used in medicines, such as isotretinoin, lovastatin, and simvastatin, among others.
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), also known as butylhydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic (fat-soluble) organic compound, chemically a derivative of phenol, that is useful for its antioxidant properties. European and U.S. regulations allow small percentages to be used as a food additive. While there may be some dispute in BHT’s use in the human diet, the chemical is widely used in industry wherever oxidation in fluids (e.g. fuel, oil) and other materials must be treated, and free radicals must be kept in-check.
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are commonly used preservatives. BHA is known to cause cancer in rats, and may be a cancer-causing agent in humans as well. US experts concluded that BHA “is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” BHA and BHT are banned in Japan and parts of the European Union, and the UK does not permit BHA in baby foods.
When we think of ourselves, we think we are one person, but we are not. For every human cell, there are ten bacterial cells along with us. These are mostly in our gut and help us process and digest foods. Do we really want to be taking in a food additive that causes 9/10’s of us to die? Certainly not!