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Bht(E321)

Level 4 — Significant concernsIn Winter's Dictionary2 sources

Bht is a antioxidant — Antioxidant, preservative, stabilizer

Also: Butylated Hydroxytoluene

What it does

Antioxidant, preservative, stabilizer

Where you'll see it

Chewing-gum base, potato/sweet potato flakes, dry breakfast cereals (50 ppm), enriched rice, animal fats, shortenings, frozen fresh pork sausage, freeze-dried meats (up to 0.01%)

What the research says

Loyola University 1972: pregnant mice fed 0.5% BHT in diet gave birth to offspring with chemical changes in brain and abnormal behavior. May be more toxic to kidney than BHA. May convert other ingested substances into toxic or cancer-causing additives. JECFA: potential exists for high consumers to exceed ADI. [metabolical] Synthetic preservative chemically similar to BHA, used to prevent fat oxidation. Animal studies show consistent tumor induction; suspected human carcinogen.

Regulatory status

  • US FDA: GRAS
  • EU: approved
  • Notes: ASP; prohibited as food additive in the United Kingdom

Sources

  • Metabolical (Lustig) — Chapter 20: consistent evidence that BHA and BHT causes tumors in animals
  • A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): pregnant mice fed a diet consisting of one-half of 1 percent of BHT (or BHA) gave birth to offspring that frequently had chemical changes in the brain and subsequently abnormal behavior patterns