Pumpkin

Additive

BHT

Antioxidant preservative that slows fats from going rancid.

Limited concern · Limited evidence

Animal studies are mixed, and regulators permit it within set limits.

Worth knowing; no urgent action implied.

Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

Evidence and sources

BHT keeps fats from going rancid. Animal studies have given mixed results, and IARC found the evidence not classifiable for cancer in humans (Group 3). EFSA re-evaluated BHT in 2012 and set an acceptable daily intake; FDA permits it within set limits and began reassessing it in May 2026.

The amount in this product isn't declared.

Limited evidence · Presence only; amount unknown · General population

  1. IARC Monographs: butylated hydroxyanisole (Group 2B) and butylated hydroxytoluene (Group 3), International Agency for Research on Cancer
  2. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of butylated hydroxytoluene BHT (E 321) as a food additive, European Food Safety Authority
  3. FDA Finalizes Food Chemical Safety Post-Market Assessment Program, Launches Reassessment of BHT, ADA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration