BHA (E320) & BHT (E321) in Indian Snacks: The Preservatives Banned in Europe

Open any packet of chips in India, flip it over, and there is a good chance you will find E320 or E321 buried in the ingredients. Most people skip past them. But these two chemical antioxidants — Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) — are banned in Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. They are still permitted in India.

Here is everything you need to know.

BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) are synthetic antioxidants used as preservatives in fat-containing foods. Unlike sodium benzoate or sodium nitrite which prevent microbial growth, BHA and BHT prevent rancidity — they stop fats and oils from oxidising (going bad) when exposed to air, light, and heat.

They are synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum (yes — the same raw material as petrol).

These preservatives appear in fat-rich products with long shelf lives:

Most commonly found in:

They are also used in:

BHA — The Possible Carcinogen

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies BHA as a Group 2B carcinogen — "possibly carcinogenic to humans." This classification is based on sufficient evidence in animal studies (BHA produced tumours in the fore-stomach of rodents) and inadequate evidence in human studies.

The US National Toxicology Program (NTP) lists BHA as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."

BHT — The Hormone Disruptor

BHT has been associated with:

Endocrine disruption — BHT can alter the function of hormones, particularly thyroid hormones, which affects metabolism, growth, and reproductive health.

Liver toxicity — Long-term animal studies show BHT causes liver enlargement and altered enzyme activity.

Potential carcinogenicity — Some animal studies show BHT promotes tumour growth when combined with other carcinogens, though it does not initiate tumours itself.

The Combination Effect

BHA and BHT are frequently used together in the same product. There is limited research on their combined effect, but what exists suggests their combined exposure may compound endocrine disruption more than either alone.

The disparity is stark: the same products that cannot be sold in Japanese or European supermarkets are freely available in Indian stores.

FSSAI lists both BHA (E320) and BHT (E321) as permitted food additives in India. They are allowed in:

FSSAI's limits are broadly aligned with the older Codex Alimentarius standards, which predate the more recent IARC and NTP risk assessments that elevated BHA's carcinogen classification.

Look for:

The sneaky packaging migration problem: Some breakfast cereals and snack packaging uses BHT in the inner packaging material to preserve the food. The chemical migrates from packaging into the food without being declared on the label. This is legal and largely unregulated in India.

Manufacturers can replace BHA and BHT with natural antioxidants:

AaharIQ automatically flags E320 and E321 in every scanned product, explains the risk level, and shows whether the product is safe for your personal health profile. Stop relying on tiny-print ingredient lists — scan and know instantly.