FDA Looks Again at Food Preservative BHA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now looking closely at BHA, a chemical used to keep foods like bread and meat fresh. This review is happening because some people have worried about its safety. The FDA wants to make sure it is safe for us to eat.
By Newsroom | Food Safety, Health |

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun a comprehensive review of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic antioxidant used to preserve various processed foods, including meats and bread. This reassessment is part of a broader agency effort to systematically examine chemical additives present in the food supply. The move comes as advocacy groups and some states have previously raised concerns about BHA's potential health impacts, prompting calls for stricter oversight and, in some instances, bans of such substances.

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Background and Timeline of BHA Use

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a fat-soluble synthetic antioxidant that plays a role in preventing food spoilage by inhibiting oxidation. It has been in use as a food preservative for an extended period, with some sources suggesting it has been present in the U.S. food supply for around a century.

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  • Extensive Use: BHA is currently found in over 4,600 food products.

  • Existing Alternatives: Safer alternatives, such as Vitamin E and natural oils with similar antioxidant properties, are available.

  • Regulatory Lags: The FDA's process for reviewing and reassessing food chemicals has been described as sluggish. The agency is not mandated to reevaluate the safety of food chemicals once they are initially approved.

FDA's Current Actions and Rationale

The FDA's recent action to reassess BHA is a formal step within its "Human Foods Program." This initiative aims to scrutinize chemicals already in the food supply and to implement a more robust process for evaluating their safety under current usage conditions.

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  • Systematic Review: The reassessment of BHA is a component of the FDA's larger plan to systematically review all chemical additives in the food supply.

  • Request for Information (RFI): As part of this review, the FDA issued an RFI to gather current scientific information regarding BHA's use and safety.

  • Focus on Current Conditions: The review will specifically assess BHA's safety under its present conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance, based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence.

  • High Priority: The FDA has identified BHA as a priority for review within its ongoing post-market assessment efforts.

Concerns and Previous Actions Regarding Food Additives

The FDA's review of BHA occurs against a backdrop of growing public and legislative pressure concerning the safety of various food additives.

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  • State-Level Actions: California and other entities have previously classified BHA as potentially harmful, leading to discussions about its regulation.

  • Broader Regulatory Landscape: The ban of Red Dye No. 3 and brominated vegetable oil by California and the FDA, respectively, reflects a heightened focus on the health risks associated with artificial food additives. For instance, brominated vegetable oil was banned in the UK, the EU, India, and Japan before the FDA took action in the U.S.

  • Legislative Proposals: Some lawmakers have proposed legislation to restrict or ban certain additives, including BHA, in manufactured products and school food.

  • Advocacy Group Pressure: Advocacy groups have petitioned the FDA to ban certain chemicals, arguing that the agency has been slow to act on potential dangers.

Analysis of FDA's Oversight and Food Chemical Regulation

Experts and public health advocates have raised questions about the FDA's capacity and methodology for ensuring the safety of food additives, particularly those already on the market.

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  • Resource Allocation: Some suggest that agencies like the FDA may lack sufficient funding to adequately monitor food safety, with a significant portion of the FDA's budget and staff being directed towards drug review.

  • Premarket vs. Postmarket Review: While the FDA historically had a premarket review process for food additives, the system for reassessing chemicals already in use has been a point of contention. The agency is working on developing a more overdue process for these postmarket evaluations.

  • "Hands-Off Approach": Critics argue that the FDA's approach to certain additives has been too lenient, potentially allowing unsafe ingredients into the food supply.

Safer Alternatives and Consumer Guidance

With concerns about BHA and other additives, consumers are increasingly seeking information to make informed choices.

  • Availability of Alternatives: As noted, Vitamin E and natural oils are presented as safer substitutes for BHA.

  • Label Reading: Consumers are encouraged to carefully read ingredient labels on packaged foods and to choose products that avoid additives like BHA and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), another common preservative.

  • Consumer Resources: Databases and guides are available to help consumers identify products that do not contain potentially harmful additives.

Conclusion and Future Implications

The FDA's initiation of a post-market safety reassessment for BHA signifies a step towards addressing long-standing questions about the preservative's safety. This review is a critical part of the agency's larger commitment to modernizing its food safety protocols and ensuring the chemicals permitted in the food supply meet current scientific standards.

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  • Key Finding: The FDA is actively reviewing BHA's safety under current use conditions, using the latest scientific data.

  • Broader Impact: This reassessment is indicative of a wider trend towards more rigorous scrutiny of food additives by regulatory bodies.

  • Next Steps: The outcome of the RFI and the subsequent analysis will determine the FDA's final determination on the safety of BHA and may inform future regulatory actions concerning other food chemicals.

Sources Used:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is BHA?
BHA is a chemical used to stop foods from going bad. It helps keep foods like bread and meat fresh for longer.
Q: Why is the FDA looking at BHA again?
Some groups and states have asked questions about whether BHA is safe to eat. The FDA is checking the latest science to be sure.
Q: Are there other options instead of BHA?
Yes, there are other ways to keep food fresh, like using Vitamin E or natural oils.
Q: What can I do?
You can look at the list of ingredients on food packages. Choosing foods without BHA might be a good idea.