What is Butylated hydroxyanisole (E320)?

What does it do?

Delays rancidity and discolouration, and regulates the product’s acidity (pH).

Is it harmful? Risk context

It draws comparatively more concern in the scientific literature. Even so, "any product containing this additive is harmful" is not accurate — what matters is dose and exposure. Regulators (EFSA) set a safe daily limit (ADI); in an ordinary, varied diet most people will not approach it. NeBu treats this additive as a negative signal in the score, but never condemns a product on its presence alone.

IARC Group 2B (possible carcinogen); EFSA ADI 0.5 mg/kg

Containing an additive is not the same as being harmed by the product. A hazard is a substance’s theoretical potential to cause harm; risk depends on the actual amount you are exposed to. Rather than stamping additives with fear-based labels, NeBu explains them with sourced information — and leaves the decision to you.

IARC cancer classification

Group 2B — possibly carcinogenic

An IARC classification measures the **strength of evidence** that something is linked to cancer (a hazard) — not the actual risk (the dose needed). Processed meat and sunlight are also "Group 1". The class answers "how strong is the evidence", not "how dangerous".

Safe daily intake (EFSA ADI)

0.5 mg/kg body weight/day

Sources

• EFSA — Food additives
• IARC — Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards
• Türk Gıda Kodeksi — Gıda Katkı Maddeleri Yönetmeliği (RG 13.10.2023)