E320 — Butylated hydroxyanisole (bha)

Status in the United States (FDA)

Listed in the FDA inventory “Substances Added to Food”, with the regulations 21 CFR 172.110, 172.115, 172.185, 172.515, 172.615, 173.340, 182.3169.

Technical effects listed by the FDA: antimicrobial agent, antioxidant, dough strengthener, flavor enhancer, flour treating agent, oxidizing or reducing agent

West Virginia: from 1 January 2028, a food product containing this substance may not be made, sold or distributed in the state (HB 2354 (2025) — W. Va. Code § 16-7-2). Food containing it counts as adulterated. Criminal penalties do not apply to sellers of less than $5,000 a month of such food (§ 16-7-4).

The inventory is a partial list, and a listing is not an FDA approval of every use; the regulations set the permitted uses.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Substances Added to Food (updated 9/8/2026), public domain · CAS 25013-16-5 via Wikidata (CC0)