EWG’s recommendation
Avoid or limit foods containing BHT.
BHT has not been formally classified as a carcinogen, but studies have linked it to tumor promotion in animals. BHT and its breakdown products may cause oxidative stress, which occurs when highly reactive molecules accumulate and damage cells. This process can disrupt cellular function, damage DNA and interfere with the body’s hormonal system.
What is BHT?
BHT, or butylated hydroxytoluene, is a preservative that prevents oxidation, extending the shelf life of fats and oils in packaged foods. BHT is also added to some cosmetic products and a range of consumer goods as a preservative and antioxidant.
Which foods contain BHT?
BHT is commonly added to breakfast cereal, frozen pizza and chewing gum. It is also used in many other processed foods containing fats and oils, including cookies, candy and other packaged snacks.
Look for BHT in product ingredient lists, usually below or next to the nutrition facts panel, on the back of the package. It may also appear as “butylated hydroxytoluene.” BHT may also be added to food packaging, which companies are not required to disclose.
How is BHT regulated?
The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for overseeing food additives and other ingredients. The FDA approved BHT for use in food in 1954 and deemed it generally recognized as safe for certain uses in 1959.
In early 2026, the FDA announced it would reassess the safety of BHT in food. Pointing to decades of evidence raising health concerns, EWG has long called for regulatory action on BHT.
In the European Union, the European Food Safety Authority reevaluated BHT in 2012 and raised the acceptable daily intake level to 0.25 mg/kg, reflecting lower concern about the chemical. The authority concluded that typical dietary exposures were within the new acceptable daily intake, though some high-end exposure scenarios – particularly in children and from multiple sources – approached or exceeded that level in modeling estimates.
BHT is prohibited in certified organic foods under Agriculture Department organic standards, which bar synthetic substances.
What does the science say about BHT?
When BHT breaks down in the body, it produces reactive byproducts that cause oxidative stress, damaging DNA and cellular proteins. This is associated with cancer and other diseases in laboratory studies.
Animal studies have linked BHT to liver toxicity and tumor promotion in the liver, bladder and lungs. BHT has also caused developmental and thyroid changes in animals, which suggests it may disrupt hormonal signaling.
BHT has been detected in human cord blood, breast milk, blood, urine and body fat. A 2019 study found that U.S. residents had some of the highest BHT levels globally, with the highest exposures exceeding safety limits.
Exposure to BHT can come from many sources, not just food. It may be found in mattresses, plastics, carpets and printing ink, from which it can migrate into indoor air and settle in house dust.
Find out more
Learn more about recommendations relating to BHT – and the full EWG Dirty DozenTM list of food chemicals – on EWG’s research page.
EWG’s Food Scores provides ratings for more than 150,000 foods and drinks based on nutrition, ingredients and processing concerns, and flags unhealthy ultra-processed foods to help you identify alternatives.
BHT is also added to cosmetic products as a preservative. EWG’s Skin Deep® cosmetic database helps to identify harmful chemicals in personal care and beauty products. EWG Verified® products meet the strictest criteria for transparency and health.
And the Healthy Living app lets you take these tools with you on the go.
