Our+Recommendations

This web is recommended to all of people as consumers of products that contain Butylated HydroxyAnisole(BHA). The example of products that contain BHA are :



**Health Effects** **Immediate Health Effects**
 * If SWALLOWED, butylated hydroxyanisole is Moderately Toxic
 * If ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN, butylated hydroxyanisole is Not Available
 * If INHALED (SNIFFED OR BREATHED IN), butylated hydroxyanisole is Not Available

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is widely used antioxidant food additives. It has been extensively studied for potential toxicities. This review details experimental studies of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity which bear on cancer hazard assessment of exposure to humans. We conclude that BHA pose no cancer hazard and to the contrary, may be anticarcinogenic at current levels of food additive use.
 * The function of BHA:**

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), at high doses, has been found to induce fore stomach squamous cell carcinomas in rodents, but not glandular cell or other types of neoplasms. BHA is not DNA-reactive, and the epigenetic mechanism of tumor formation involves cytotoxicity and enhanced cell proliferation, which are mostly reversible. Humans lack a forestomach and, therefore, are predicted to be much less sensitive than rodents to the effects of BHA. Also, the exposures to humans are well below doses producing the epigenetic effects in rodents. It has been concluded that BHA is an agent whose rodent carcinogenicity is conditionally species-specific and not relevant to humans.
 * The effect of BHA that use in high doses :**

**Significant Statistics** In a 1981 survey by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, BHA was reported to be used in 3,217 to 21,279 cosmetic formulations. In the majority (88%) of cases, the reported concentration was less than 0.1 percent. One product, a lipstick, was reported to contain more than 10 percent BHA. In this survey, lipsticks (1,256 products) represented the highest use of BHA, with eye shadows being the next highest (410 products). **Solutions** **How to detect butylated hydroxyanisole****?**
 * Read labels on processed foods. BHA is approved for use in many processed foods, including chewing gum, lard, potato chips, dehydrated potatoes, yeast, dry-mix beverages and desserts, dry breakfast cereals, and shortenings.
 * Read labels on cosmetics and personal care products. BHA is used in many lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, eye shadows, and facial creams. A search for BHA in the National Library of Medicine’s Household Products Database will show brand names of cosmetics that contain it.
 * You can search for personal care products containing butylated hydroxyanisole on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Searchable Product Guide website.

**How to minimize exposure to butylated hydroxyanisole** **?** **Alternatives**
 * Avoid products listing BHA or butylated hydroxyanisole as an ingredient.
 * Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and minimally processed foods. They are much more nutritious and less likely to contain potentially harmful preservatives and additives.
 * Plant- and mineral-based lipsticks and other cosmetics are often available at natural foods stores. However, read labels carefully to be sure BHA is not listed as an ingredient.