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8363981 
Book/Book Chapter 
Food Additives: Antioxidants 
Schyvens, C 
2014 
Elsevier 
Encyclopedia of Food Safety 
2 
455-458 
English 
Antioxidants are a group of food preservatives that delay or prevent the deterioration of foods by oxidative mechanisms. These molecules act by scavenging free radicals or oxygen, or by inhibiting enzymes that facilitate oxidation. Among the most important are the synthetic antioxidants, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), that have been used extensively in food for a considerable period of time. Early concerns with the use of these compounds in food were attributable to tumor findings in the forestomachs of rats, mice and hamsters. Because such tumors were not seen in laboratory species without forestomachs, the changes in rodent forestomachs have subsequently been concluded to be not relevant to humans. Both the food additives have been the subject of extensive safety reviews. On the basis of this information, it is concluded that there are presently no public health and safety concerns from the consumption of BHA or BHT in food at the permitted levels. Increasing use of chemicals such as BHA and BHA in foods and other goods needs to be monitored to ensure that the exposure remains within the acceptable limits. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 
Antioxidant; Butylated hydroxyanisole; Butylated hydroxytoluene; Chemical hazards; Food additives; Forestomach hyperplasia; Hepatic enzyme induction; Preservative