Alternate Names

Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, Tert-Butylhydroquinone

Description

This antioxidant is a petroleum-derived additive which is primarily used in animal-derived food products, fats and oils. May be used alone or in combination with BHA and/or BHT.

Additional Information

The FDA states that the total antioxidant content (TBHQ) must not exceed 0.02 percent of the oil or fat content of the food. TBHQ is banned in some countries including Japan. Countries which consume high amounts of fats containing TBHQ may exceed acceptable daily intake (including Australia, China and the United Kingdom).

Found In

oils, fats, butter, ice cream, margarine, bread, potato chips

Possible Health Effects

Animal studies show this additive may be cancer-causing.

Allergy Information

Unknown

Online Resources/Related

• International Programme on Chemical Safety, WHO Food Additive Series 40: tert-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE (TBHQ) , 1998, oint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
• US Food And Drug Administration, Code of Federal Regulations Title 21: TBHQ, Updated April 1, 2010, US Food and Drug Administration
• Carcinogenesis, Modification of carcinogenesis by ?-tocopherol, t-butylhydro-quinone, propyl gallate and butylated hydroxytoluene in a rat multi-organ carcinogenesis model , August 4, 1993, Masao Hirose, Hideaki Yada, Kazuo Hakoi, Satoru Takahashi, Nobuyuki Ito

Print Resources

• Winter, Ruth. A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives, 7th Edition: Descriptions in Plain English of More Than 12,000 Ingredients Both Harmful and Desirable Found in Foods. Three Rivers Press, 2009
• Statham, Bill. Eat Safe: The Truth about Additives from Aspartame to Xanthan Gum. Running Press, 2008
• Minich, Deanna M. An A-Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can't Pronounce. Conari Press, 2009
• Farlow, Christine Hoza, D.C.Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not. KISS For Health Publishing, 2007 Revised Edition

Copyright November 1, 2010 Be Food Smart