TBHQ
PlainFoodSafe flags TBHQ as a preservative concern. CSPI Chemical Cuisine rates it “Avoid.” It appears in 1,893 indexed US food products.
1/5 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 — TBHQ highlighted.
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Function
Preservative
Safety Concerns
preservative_concern
Safety Assessment
TBHQ has a lower safety score (1/5), 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
TBHQ currently appears in 1,893 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 1/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status — currently "Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185)" — 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.
In food manufacturing, TBHQ functions as a preservative. That technical role explains why it recurs across many product categories — formulators select specific additives for stability, shelf life, color, or texture performance, and substitution is rarely a one-for-one swap when regulations or consumer preferences shift. Inspection and outbreak data often trace back to breakdown in the control of exactly these kinds of functional ingredients, either through contaminated batches, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling errors that trigger FDA-initiated recalls.
Documented concerns for TBHQ 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 | Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185) | 2024 |
| CSPI Chemical Cuisine | Avoid | 2024 |
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 1/5 | 2026 |
| Product footprint | 1,893 products | OpenFoodFacts |
FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.
Products Containing
Showing 50 of 1,893 products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TBHQ safe to eat? ▼
TBHQ has a safety score of 1/5. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) rates it as "Avoid." FDA status: Approved (preservative, 21 CFR 172.185). Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.
What products contain TBHQ? ▼
TBHQ is found in 1,893 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.
What does TBHQ do in food? ▼
TBHQ is used as a preservative in food products.
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.