BHA
PlainFoodSafe flags BHA as a preservative concern. CSPI Chemical Cuisine rates it “Avoid.” It appears in 2,843 indexed US food products.
2/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine
How common is vs other flagged additives?
Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — BHA highlighted.
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Concerns
preservative_concern
Safety Assessment
BHA has a lower safety score (2/5), indicating notable concerns from food safety researchers or advocacy organizations. Review the safety concerns above for specific details. Individuals with sensitivities should consider alternatives. CSPI recommends avoiding this ingredient.
What the Data Says About
BHA currently appears in 2,843 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 2/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status — currently "GRAS" — with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification of "Avoid." These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.
BHA serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.
Documented concerns for BHA include: preservative_concern Consumers with diagnosed sensitivities, pregnant individuals, and parents of young children generally benefit from reviewing product-level detail pages to see the specific items in our catalog that contain this ingredient.
Safety Profile at a Glance
| Source | Classification | Year |
|---|---|---|
| FDA SAFFA | GRAS | 2024 |
| CSPI Chemical Cuisine | Avoid | 2024 |
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 2/5 | 2026 |
| Product footprint | 2,843 products | OpenFoodFacts |
FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.
Products Containing
Showing 50 of 2,843 products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BHA safe to eat? ▼
BHA has a safety score of 2/5. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) rates it as "Avoid." FDA status: GRAS. Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.
What products contain BHA? ▼
BHA is found in 2,843 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.
What does BHA do in food? ▼
BHA serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.
Where does this ingredient safety data come from? ▼
Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.