EWG’s recommendation
Avoid or limit foods containing BHA.
BHA has been classified as a possible carcinogen, or cancer-causing chemical. Studies have shown BHA to produce oxidative stress, which occurs when highly reactive molecules build up and damage cells in the body. This can disrupt cellular function, damage DNA and interfere with the body’s hormonal system.
What is BHA?
BHA, or butylated hydroxyanisole, is a preservative that prevents oxidation, extending the shelf life of fats and oils in packaged foods. BHA is also added to cosmetic products as a preservative.
Which foods contain BHA?
BHA is commonly added to frozen pizza and other frozen meals and appetizers. It is also found in processed meat, including deli meat, bacon, hot dogs and sausage and packaged snacks containing oil, such as cookies and biscuits.
Look for BHA 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 hydroxyanisole.” BHA may also be added to food packaging, which companies are not required to disclose.
How is BHA regulated?
The Food and Drug Administration is responsible for overseeing food additives and other ingredients. BHA was generally recognized as safe in 1958 and approved for use in food by the FDA in 1961.
In early 2026 the FDA identified BHA as a top priority for review of chemicals already in the food supply and requested public feedback on BHA’s use and safety.
In response, EWG described the FDA move as a plan to plan rather than the agency taking decisive action. EWG in its public comment letter on the plan pointed the agency to the abundance of evidence of BHA risks accumulated over decades.
BHA is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. The National Toxicology Program concluded BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
It is also on California’s Proposition 65 list of substances known to cause cancer.
In 2025, West Virginia banned BHA from all food sold in the state, beginning in 2028.
What does the science say about BHA?
When BHA breaks down in the body it can cause an imbalance between unstable molecules and protective molecules, a process called oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress can lead to damaged cells and result in structural damage to DNA and cellular proteins, which is associated with cancer and other diseases in humans. Animal studies have observed DNA damage in tissues like the colon and glandular stomach, organs that are found in the human body.
A study of breast cancer cells has also linked BHA to endocrine disruption, or interference with the body’s hormones. Prolonged exposure to BHA in one rodent study reduced testicular function in mice.
BHA can also interact with other food chemicals of concern, like propyl gallate, to cause hormone disruption, producing both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects.
Find out more
Learn more about recommendations relating to BHA – and the full EWG Dirty Dozen 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.
BHA 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.
