The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday launched a broad review of a long-used synthetic preservative used in packaged foods, as the agency steps up efforts to reassess chemicals long allowed in the U.S. food supply.
The FDA issued a request for information on how manufacturers use Butylated Hydroxyanisole, or BHA, and whether current scientific evidence supports its safety in food and food-contact materials.
BHA is a synthetic antioxidant that prevents fats and oils from spoiling in foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and animal feed, extending product shelf life.
The review is part of an FDA program, announced in 2025, to re-evaluate chemicals that have remained in use for decades.
Health advocates have long pushed for tighter scrutiny of BHA, which the FDA flagged for reassessment during its overhaul of its post-market chemical review process.
