FDA Reviews Safety of Common Food Preservative Used in Packaged and Frozen Foods

By Ginika Igboke

Federal regulators are reassessing the safety of a widely used food preservative found in products such as frozen meals, cereals, cookies, and ice cream, the government announced on Feb. 10.

The Food and Drug Administration said it is reviewing available scientific evidence on butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, a preservative that has been classified as “Generally Recognized as Safe” since 1958.

“BHA has remained in the food supply for decades despite being identified by the National Toxicology Program as ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen’ based on animal studies,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. He described the review as signaling “the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety.”

“If BHA cannot meet today’s gold-standard science for its current uses, we will remove it from the food supply and continue cleaning up food chemicals—starting where children face the greatest exposure,” Kennedy said.

BHA is added to foods to prevent fats and oils from spoiling. The FDA said labeling data show its use has declined in recent years, though it remains present in a range of products, including some marketed to children.

“We are taking decisive action to ensure that chemicals in our food supply are not causing harm,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said. He noted that once the BHA review is complete, the agency expects to conduct similar assessments of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), another synthetic preservative, and azodicarbonamide, a chemical used as a dough conditioner and in the manufacture of yoga mats.

Under federal law and FDA regulations, food additives may be designated as Generally Recognized as Safe when qualified experts and available data indicate they can be used safely. That designation, however, has come under increasing scrutiny from federal officials and advocacy groups who argue that some long-approved additives warrant renewed evaluation.

In 2025, the Environmental Working Group cited research linking both BHA and BHT to potential health risks. The organization, along with the Consumer Brands Association, which represents food manufacturers, did not respond to requests for comment.

Federal officials said the FDA is now seeking public input on the use of BHA in food products and its safety.

“We intend to use the information received and any other available, relevant information to determine if BHA remains safe under its current conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance,” officials said.