Superior artificial antioxidant, Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA)!

2-tertiary-butyl-4-hydroxy-anisole and 3-tertiary-butyl-4-hydroxy-anisole are two isomeric chemical compounds that are combined to form BHA, a waxy solid flake. Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA) is the common name for this combination. It is a superior artificial antioxidant. It becomes a waxy solid that is white or yellowish at room temperature and has a light fragrant smell.

BHA's conjugated aromatic ring has the capacity to sequester free radicals by stabilizing them. Free radical scavengers inhibit more free radical reactions by doing so.

Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA) is made from isobutylene and 4-methoxyphenol.

Application

Food:

In order to preserve food and food packaging, Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA) is utilized. In order to stop or postpone oxidation, it is an efficient antioxidant employed in lipid, edible fats, and meals containing fat. Foods are preserved and their shelf lives are extended. By interacting with oxygen, it stops spoiling. By delaying the development of oxidation-related off flavors, odors, and color changes. Because of its antioxidant characteristics, BHA is added to meals that contain edible fats and prevents food from going rancid, which gives off unpleasant aromas. E320 is the number that has been given to it. It frequently pairs with butylated hydroxytoluene, a substance that is related to it (BHT). Around 85% of the 3-BHA and less than 15% of the 2-BHA in food-grade BHA.

Due to its excellent thermal stability and capacity to remain active in baked and fried meals, it is also employed in foods cooked or fried with animal oils (HSDB 2009). Ice cream, butter, lard, meats, cereals, baked goods, sweets, beer, vegetable oils, potato chips, snack foods, nuts and nut products, dried potatoes, and flavoring agents all include BHA. It is utilized in the production of sausage, poultry, and meat products, as well as dry mixes for drinks and sweets, glazed fruits, chewing gum, active dry yeast, beet sugar and yeast-based defoaming agents, and shortening emulsion stabilizers (IARC 1986). The petroleum wax coatings on food packaging are stabilized by BHA (HSDB 2009).

Prior to combining the dough or batter, BHA is often included with the lipid component of a baking formula for maximum efficacy. A BHA emulsion may occasionally be applied topically after the product has baked. BHA at a concentration of 0.02% can increase the shelf life of crackers and pastries by up to 33 days. In a similar vein, up to 0.02% of soda cracker biscuits contain BHA (based on lipid content). The incompatibility of BHA with ferric salts is one of its drawbacks.

Animal Feed:

Since it slows down the oxidation of lipids, vegetable oils, and vitamin A, BHA is one of the main antioxidants utilized in feeds. It works well as a stabilizer for polyethylene, paraffin, and essential oils (HSDB 2009). Animals are shielded against radiation as well as the acute toxicity of several xenobiotics and mutagens. Except for dogs with a maximum content of 150 mg/kg (FEEDAP) complete feeding stuffs (alone or together with BHT (E 321) and/or ethoxyquin (E 324)) and for dogs with a maximum content of 150 mg/kg complete feeding stuffs (alone or together with BHT (E 321)), BHA is intended to be used as an antioxidant in feeding stuffs for all animal species and categories. The BHA (Butylated Hydroxy Anisole) levels of antioxidant in finished feed are permitted to be 200 PPM by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Pharma:

BHA is frequently found in medications including lovastatin, simvastatin, isotretinoin, and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3).

Nutrition:

It can also be used for nutrition. BHA has the same anti-free radical properties as other antioxidants in biological tissues. Hence, it may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and other disorders. Concerns regarding BHA's possible side effects have surfaced recently, supporting consumer demands that all synthetic antioxidants be replaced with natural ones.

Cosmetics:

BHA is used in formulations for applying cosmetics that contain fats and oils. 90% of the BHA used in cosmetics is 3-BHA, while 8% is 2-BHA. According to one survey, recipes for lipstick and eye-shadow cosmetics used BHA the most frequently.

Other:

Tert-butyl hydroquinone has essentially taken the role of BHA in industrial applications. Moreover, rubber, petroleum-based goods, polymers, elastomers, lubricants, and greases employ Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA).