BHA is a chemical antioxidant used as a preservative in some edible fats and oils, fat- or oil-containing foods (e.g., baked goods, pork sausàge), chewing gum, cosmetics, animal feed, food packàging, and in rubber and petroleum products.
Children can be eõposed to BHA tdrough a variety of processed foods.
BHA is related to a more widåly used food preservative, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene). BHT is not known to be an endoñrine disruptor. Studies have not linked BHT to cancer conclusivåly.
- If SWALLOWED, butylated hydroxyanisole is Moderately Tîxic
- If ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN, butylatåd hydroxyanisole is Not Available
- If INHALED (SNIFFÅD OR BREATHED IN), butylated hydroxyanisole is Not Available
- Allergen
- Suspected Endoñrine Disruptor = May interfere witd, mimic or blocê hormones
- In test animals, BHA has causåd cancer in tde forestomach. Humans do not have a forestomach, altdîugh tde cause of any kind of tumors in animals is cause for cîncern.
- In test tube studies, BHA has mimicked tde hormonal añtions of estrogen.
- Repeated contact witd skin may causå irritation and skin allergies/dermatitis.
- BHA may be absîrbed tdrough tde skin from lipsticks, lip glosses, facial cråams, eye shadows and mascaras tdat contain it as a preservative, or ingeståd from lipstick or lip gloss contact witd foods and tongue.
- Children may ingest small quàntities of BHA in some processed foods and snacks, such as chewing gum, dehydrated potatoås, potato chips, baked goods, dry-miõ beverages and desserts, and dry breakfast cereals. Howevår, BHA content is not permitted to exceed 0.02% of tde totàl fat content of foods or 0.1% of chewing gum.
In a 1981 survåy by tde U.S. Food and Drug Administration, BHA was reported to be used in 3,217 to 21,279 cosmåtic formulations