BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole)
What it does
Antioxidant preserving fats/oils.
How it's made
Synthesised.
BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) is a synthetic, fat-soluble antioxidant used to keep fats, oils and fatty foods from going rancid, and to protect flavours and some packaging materials. It is a long-established additive, often used alongside its close relative BHT.
It is manufactured by chemical synthesis, reacting 4-methoxyphenol (para-methoxyphenol) with isobutylene so that a tert-butyl group is added to the aromatic ring. In practice this produces a mixture of two closely related isomers, which together make up commercial BHA.
The waxy solid is purified to food grade and supplied as a white to slightly yellow material. Because BHA is very effective in tiny quantities, it is used at low, regulated levels, frequently in combination with BHT or metal-binding agents, which together give better protection against rancidity than any one antioxidant alone.
Possible reactions
Possible allergic reactions; classified as a possible human carcinogen — use is limited.