Is BHT safe? Where it's allowed, limited, and what it's in
Where BHT is allowed
United States
Permitted with conditionsFDA permits BHT as a food additive in specified foods with caps in parts per million (for example 50 ppm, alone or combined with BHA, in dry breakfast cereals), and treats it as generally recognized as safe when total antioxidants stay at or below 0.02% of a food's fat or oil content. On 12 May 2026 FDA launched a reassessment of BHT in human food and as a food contact substance, and its public comment period was extended to 31 August 2026. For cosmetics, FDA says ingredients other than color additives need no FDA approval, and BHT is not on FDA's list of prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients. This summary covers federal rules; some states have their own additive laws. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Canada
Permitted with conditionsHealth Canada's List of Permitted Preservatives allows BHT in named foods up to set limits, such as 200 ppm in fats and oils (except milk fat, olive oil and suet), lard and shortening (alone or combined with BHA, TBHQ and propyl gallate) and 50 ppm in dried breakfast cereals. BHT is not on Health Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. [6, 8]
European Union
RestrictedBHT is authorised as E 321 only for a short list of uses: fats and oils for professional manufacture of heat-treated foods and frying fats (100 mg/kg, on a fat basis), plus combined-antioxidant limits of 200 to 400 mg/kg in chewing gum, seasonings and condiments, and food supplements. In cosmetics, the EU restricts BHT to 0.001% in mouthwash, 0.1% in toothpaste and 0.8% in other leave-on and rinse-off products. [9, 10]
What is BHT?
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene, E321 in Europe) is a synthetic antioxidant. Besides food, Health Canada notes it appears in cosmetics, non-prescription drugs, plastics, paints, lubricants and textiles.
Why it's used, and where you'll find it
Fats and oils go stale when oxygen reacts with them. BHT is added, usually in tiny amounts, to slow that down and protect shelf life; FDA describes its job as preventing spoilage of fats and oils.
What the research and regulators say
Daily intake guidelines
In 2012 EFSA found BHT not of concern for genotoxicity (DNA damage) and said any cancer effect would need a threshold dose. It set an acceptable daily intake of 0.25 mg per kg of body weight, above the older European figure of 0.05; JECFA's, set in 1995, is 0 to 0.3. EFSA said adults were unlikely to exceed its figure, but that children's intake at the 95th percentile could exceed it in some countries (it named Finland and the Netherlands). [11, 12]
Cancer classification
IARC's classification list places BHT in Group 3, 'not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans' (last evaluated in 1987). EFSA noted liver tumours in male rats at high doses and set its guideline from a no-effect level well below the dose where that occurred. These are animal findings, not proof of harm at food levels. [11, 13]
A fresh look by regulators
FDA said in May 2026 that it is reassessing BHT in human food and as a food contact substance, and asked for data from industry, researchers and the public. Health Canada's draft assessment of a group of chemicals called substituted phenols, which includes BHT, proposes that BHT is not harmful to human health at current exposure levels, while proposing that it is harmful to the environment. Neither review had concluded when this page was last checked. [3, 4, 7]
Who might choose to avoid it
The sources cited here do not single out a group who must avoid BHT at permitted levels. Some people choose to skip it to avoid synthetic additives, or while FDA's review is open; parents may note EFSA's 2012 finding that children with high intakes in some countries could exceed the daily guideline.
How to spot it on a label
Look for BHT, butylated hydroxytoluene or E321. The EU cosmetics rules also name it 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol. BHT is often used alongside BHA, so if one is listed, check for the other.
Check what's in your own productsScan a barcode or a label photo and Label X-Ray flags BHT and everything else in plain English, with your allergies checked automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is BHT banned in Canada?
No. Health Canada's List of Permitted Preservatives allows BHT in specific foods up to set limits, such as 200 ppm in fats and oils, lard and shortening.
Is BHT banned in Europe?
No. It is authorised as E 321 but only for a short list of uses: fats and frying fats, and, within combined antioxidant limits, chewing gum, seasonings and condiments, and food supplements. Dry breakfast cereals, which the US and Canada allow, are not on the EU list.
Is BHT bad for you?
Regulators treat it as acceptable at permitted amounts: EFSA's daily guideline is 0.25 mg/kg of body weight and JECFA's is 0 to 0.3. EFSA said some children with high intakes could exceed its figure, and FDA's 2026 review is still open.
Is BHT a carcinogen?
IARC classifies BHT in Group 3, 'not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.' High-dose rat studies showed liver tumours in males, and EFSA set its guideline below that level.
What is BHT in cereal?
It is an antioxidant that stops the fats in cereal going stale. The US limit for BHA and BHT combined in dry breakfast cereal is 50 ppm, and Canada's is also 50 ppm.
Is BHT safe for skin?
The EU sets maximum concentrations for BHT in cosmetics (0.8% in most leave-on and rinse-off products, 0.1% in toothpaste, 0.001% in mouthwash). FDA does not pre-approve cosmetic ingredients, and Health Canada's draft assessment, which considers all sources of exposure including cosmetics, proposes no harm to human health at current exposure levels.
Related ingredients
Sources
- U.S. eCFR (Office of the Federal Register) — 21 CFR 172.115 - BHT (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. eCFR (Office of the Federal Register) — 21 CFR 182.3173 - Butylated hydroxytoluene (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. FDA — FDA Finalizes Food Chemical Safety Post-Market Assessment Program, Launches Reassessment of BHT, ADA (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. FDA — FDA Reopens Public Comment Period for Request for Information on Butylated Hydroxytoluene (accessed 2026-09-19)
- U.S. FDA — Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — 11. List of Permitted Preservatives (Lists of Permitted Food Additives) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — BHT and your health (accessed 2026-09-19)
- Health Canada — Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EUR-Lex (European Union) — Consolidated text: Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (version of 18 August 2026) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EUR-Lex (European Union) — Consolidated text: Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (version of 18 May 2026) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- EFSA (via PubMed Central) — Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of butylated hydroxytoluene BHT (E 321) as a food additive (accessed 2026-09-19)
- WHO/FAO JECFA — butylated hydroxytoluene (JECFA database) (accessed 2026-09-19)
- IARC — IARC Monographs: List of Classifications (data dated 23 July 2026) (accessed 2026-09-19)
This page summarizes what regulators and published research say, as of the review date above. Rules and evidence change; check the linked sources for the latest. It is general information, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your own health.