Category: preservative
⚠ Controversial ingredient
Butylated hydroxyanisole, a synthetic antioxidant used as a preservative to prevent fat rancidity.
Classified as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Animal studies have shown BHA can cause forestomach tumors in rodents. While the FDA still permits its use in pet food at controlled levels, many pet food manufacturers have voluntarily removed it in favor of natural preservatives like mixed tocopherols.