FDA Starts Reviewing Whether Common Food Preservative Is Safe

Butylated hydroxyanisole may be removed from the food supply, officials said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Federal regulators are reviewing whether a preservative used in products such as frozen meals, cereals, cookies, and ice cream is safe, the government said on Feb. 10.

The Food and Drug Administration is assessing available evidence on butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA. The preservative has been categorized as “Generally Recognized as Safe” by the FDA since 1958.