Butylated hydroxyanisole, known as BHA, is a synthetic antioxidant made from 4-methoxyphenol. It dissolves in fats and oils but not in water. It is INS 320 and E320, and Codex lists it as an antioxidant.
BHA is valued for its “carry-through”: it survives baking and frying and keeps protecting the fat afterwards, and it is particularly effective in animal fats and in flavourings based on essential oils. It is often used together with BHT (INS 321) or TBHQ (INS 319), and food laws limit it to low maximum levels. On SeekSnack it is listed as an antioxidant in Lay’s Rock Ridged Cheese Pizza and Lay’s Play 3D Cheese Pizza, and among the additives of Denma filled cookie with fruits.
