Ingredient Index · E320

Is BHA banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No. BHA is restricted, not banned, in the EU: permitted only in specific food categories at low maximums, while the US allows it broadly as GRAS at up to 0.02% of a food's fat content.

E-number: E320CAS: 25013-16-5 Also seen as: Butylated Hydroxyanisole, E320

What the EU does

Restricted, and the distinction matters because most "banned in Europe" lists get this one wrong. Under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, E320 is authorized, but only in a short list of categories (fats and oils for professional manufacture, chewing gum, food supplements, and a few others), generally capped around 200 mg/kg in fats and oils. An American-style "preservative in everything" use pattern is not legal in the EU.

EFSA re-evaluated BHA and retained an acceptable daily intake of 1 mg per kilogram of body weight, noting the rodent forestomach tumors that drive the cancer concern occur in an organ humans don't have. Restriction with limits, not prohibition, is the calibrated EU answer.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E320, category-specific maximums)

What the US does

Broadly legal. BHA is GRAS under 21 CFR 182.3169 at up to 0.02% of the fat or oil content of a food, with essentially no category restrictions, which is why it shows up in cereal liners, snack foods, and anything that needs fat kept from going rancid.

Two honest complications: the US National Toxicology Program lists BHA as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on the rodent studies, and the FDA announced a fresh safety review of BHA in February 2026. California's Prop 65 also lists it. Legal, widely used, and under live re-examination.

Citation 21 CFR 182.3169 (BHA, GRAS up to 0.02% of fat content)

Products that commonly contain it

BHA is an antioxidant that keeps fats from oxidizing. In the US it appears in:

Breakfast cereals (often in the package liner)
Chewing gum
Butter and shortening
Potato chips and snack foods
Dehydrated mixes and bouillon
Some beers

What to look for on a label

One disambiguation matters more than anything else here:

"BHA" or "butylated hydroxyanisole" in food ingredient lists
"BHA (to preserve freshness)", the standard US phrasing, sometimes noted as in the packaging
The BHA in skincare is beta hydroxy acid (salicylic acid), a completely unrelated substance
Often paired with BHT; the two are different chemicals with separate E-numbers

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Frequently asked questions

Is BHA banned in Europe?

No. E320 is authorized under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, but only in specific food categories at capped levels (around 200 mg/kg in fats and oils). The broad American use pattern is not permitted.

Is BHA legal in the United States?

Yes: GRAS under 21 CFR 182.3169 at up to 0.02% of a food's fat content, used across most categories. The FDA opened a new safety review in February 2026.

Is BHA a carcinogen?

The US National Toxicology Program lists it as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on rodent forestomach tumors, an organ humans lack, which is why EFSA and the FDA still permit limited use. The honest answer is: suspected in rodents, unresolved in humans.

Is food BHA the same as the BHA in my skincare?

No. In cosmetics, BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid: salicylic acid, the exfoliant. The food preservative is butylated hydroxyanisole, an entirely different molecule.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses