Title
Butylated hydroxyanisole in perspective
Author
Instituut CIVO-Toxicologie en Voeding TNO
Verhagen, H.
Schilderman, P.A.E.L.
Kleinjans, J.C.S.
Publication year
1991
Abstract
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic food antioxidant used to prevent oils, fats and shortenings from oxidative deterioration and rancidity. This review depicts the current knowledge on BHA. The physical and chemical characteristics of BHA are summarized and its function as a food antioxidant is made clear. The toxicological characteristics of BHA and its metabolic fate in man and animal are briefly reviewed. Special emphasis is laid on the carcinogenicity of BHA in the forestomach of rodents and to related events in the forestomach and other tissues in experimental animals. At present there is sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity of BHA, but there is hardly any indication that BHA is genotoxic. Therefore risk assessment for this epigenetic carcinogen is based on non-stochastic principles. However, the mechanism underlying the tumorigenicity of BHA is not known. In the last part of this review an attempt is made to unravel the unknown mechanism of carcinogenicity. It is hypothesized that BHA gives rise to tumor formation in rodent forestomach by inducing heritable changes in DNA. Evidence is being provided that reactive oxygen species, in particular hydroxylradicals, may play a crucial role. The key question with respect to risk assessment for BHA is whether or not the underlying mechanism is thresholded, which is important for the choice of the appropriate model to assess the risk, if any, for man and to manage any potential risk. Chemicals/CAS: Antioxidants; Butylated Hydroxyanisole, 25013-16-5; Carcinogens
Subject
Production
Technology
Food
Animal
Antioxidants
Butylated Hydroxyanisole
Carcinogens
Human
Animalia
Canis familiaris
Cavia porcellus
Cricetinae
Rodentia
Sus scrofa
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2797(91)90019-4
TNO identifier
79136
ISSN
0009-2797
Source
Chemico-Biological Interactions, 80 (80), 109-134
Document type
article