Antioxidant raw material
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic antioxidant used to protect fats, oils, and other oxidation-sensitive materials from deterioration. Commercial BHA is a mixture of two isomeric compounds, 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, and is typically manufactured from 4-methoxyphenol and isobutylene. Its antioxidant function has made it an important ingredient in food, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceutical formulations, food-contact materials, and selected technical applications.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic antioxidant used to protect fats, oils, and other oxidation-sensitive materials from deterioration. Commercial BHA is a mixture of two isomeric compounds, 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole, and is typically manufactured from 4-methoxyphenol and isobutylene. Its antioxidant function has made it an important ingredient in food, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceutical formulations, food-contact materials, and selected technical applications.
Supply context
BHM Chemicals is a supplier of Ph. Eur. and Food quality Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) suitable for use in various applications.
Minimum order quantity: 5 kg
BHA is widely used where protection against oxidation is essential for product quality and shelf life. As a lipophilic antioxidant, it is particularly effective in systems containing fats, oils, waxes, or other oxidation-prone ingredients. In commercial use, it is typically supplied as a white to yellowish-white waxy solid with low water solubility and good solubility in fats, oils, propylene glycol, and alcohol-based systems. These properties make it practical for formulations where oxidative stability is a key requirement.
BHA is used as an antioxidant in food applications to help delay oxidative rancidity and preserve the quality of fat-containing products. In the United States, its use is permitted in specified food categories under defined limits, and in the European Union it is known as food additive E320 and is subject to established purity specifications and category-specific conditions of use.
BHA is also used in certain food-contact applications where oxidative protection is required. In the EU, it is authorised for use in plastic food-contact materials subject to specific migration requirements, and in the U.S. it appears in FDA food-contact inventories for regulated indirect uses. For commercial communication, this application should always be presented as subject to the relevant food-contact legislation and intended-use conditions.
BHA is used as an antioxidant in feed applications. In the EU, it is authorised as a technological feed additive for all animal species except cats, with defined conditions of use and a maximum content of 150 mg/kg complete feedingstuff. This makes BHA relevant for feed formulations where oxidative stability of the finished product is important, provided local regulatory requirements are met.
In cosmetic formulations, BHA functions as an antioxidant that helps protect oxidation-sensitive ingredients and supports product stability. The European Commission's cosmetic framework recognizes BHA as a cosmetic ingredient, and the SCCS has assessed its dermal use in rinse-off and leave-on products up to defined concentration limits. For website copy, it is best to describe BHA here as a formulation antioxidant rather than make broad safety claims.
BHA is also used in pharmaceutical products as an antioxidant excipient in selected formulations where protection against oxidation is required. DailyMed product listings show BHA as an supporting ingredient in a range of dosage forms, including topical creams, suppositories, and oral liquid products. For a supplier page, this supports describing Ph. Eur. grade BHA as suitable for pharmaceutical applications subject to formulation, pharmacopoeial, and regulatory requirements.
Beyond regulated consumer uses, BHA is also used as an antioxidant in selected technical applications, including certain rubber and petroleum products. In these systems, its role is to help reduce oxidative degradation and improve material stability during storage and use.
The principal value of BHA lies in its ability to slow oxidation. By helping to interrupt oxidative chain reactions, it supports the stability of sensitive ingredients and finished formulations. This is why it remains relevant across multiple industries where fats, oils, or oxidation-sensitive raw materials are present.
Because BHA is poorly soluble in water but readily soluble in fats, oils, and certain organic systems, it is especially suitable for lipid-containing products and formulations. This property is one of the key reasons it is widely used as an antioxidant rather than as a general-purpose preservative in aqueous systems.
For regulated applications, product quality and specification are essential. U.S. food regulations specify BHA with a minimum assay of 98.5% and a minimum melting point of 48°C, while EU legislation also provides specific identity and purity criteria for food and feed use. For commercial presentation, it is therefore better to emphasize grade, specification, and compliance rather than broad marketing claims.
BHA should be used in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework, specification standard, and intended-use limits for the target market. Permitted uses and concentration limits differ depending on whether the application is food, feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or food-contact materials. As with other industrial and formulation ingredients, handling should follow the relevant Safety Data Sheet and good manufacturing practice.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) remains an important antioxidant for manufacturers that require reliable protection against oxidative degradation. Its established use in food, feed, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food-contact, and technical applications reflects its practical value in maintaining product stability and shelf life. The strongest commercial presentation is to focus on defined grade, consistent quality, application suitability, and regulatory compliance, while avoiding overly broad claims about safety or performance.
BHM Chemicals
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| CAS No. | 25013-16-5 |
| Country of origin | India |
| Characteristics | A white, yellowish or slightly pinkish, crystalline powder, practically insoluble in water, very soluble in methylene chloride, freely soluble in alcohol and in fatty oils. It dissolves in dilute solutions of alkali hydroxides. |
| Identification | Conforms to Ph. Eur. tests |
| Appearance of solution | Conforms to Ph. Eur. test: Solution S is clear and not more intensely coloured than intensity 5 of the range of reference solutions of the most appropriate colour |
| Sulphated ash | Maximum 0.1% |
| Heavy metals | Maximum 10ppm |
| Arsenic | Maximum 3ppm |
| Lead | Maximum 2ppm |
| Mercury | Maximum 1ppm |
| 3-tert butyl-4-hydroxyaniole | Minimum 90.0% |
| 2-tert butyl-4-hydroxyanisole | Maximum 10.0% |
| Hydroquinone | Maximum 0.2% |
| Any other impurity | Maximum 0.5% |
Full documentation is available on request. Product suitability should be assessed by the customer for the intended application.
Documentation and enquiry
info@bhm-chemicals.com - +48 (0) 519 702 757
Short answers to common B2B enquiry questions.
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