The Food and Drug Administration has reopened the public-comment period for information about butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, through Aug. 31, 2026, as part of a post-market review of the food preservative.
The request is filed under docket FDA-2026-N-2526. FDA said it extended the opportunity after receiving requests for more time to assemble and submit information relevant to the reassessment.
The agency has not announced a new safety conclusion about BHT. A request for information is an evidence-gathering step, not a ban, recall or finding that products containing the additive are unsafe.
FDA says BHT is used to help preserve freshness in foods that can include cereals, frozen pizza and meals, baking mixes, cookies, chewing gum and meat products. Use varies by product, so the list does not mean every item in those categories contains BHT.
The reassessment is part of FDA's finalized post-market program for reviewing chemicals already used in food. Such reviews can consider new toxicology, exposure, use and manufacturing information that was unavailable when an ingredient was first evaluated.
FDA launched information gathering for both BHT and azodicarbonamide, known as ADA. It did not reopen the ADA comment period because the agency said it received no requests for additional time.
Keeping the two substances separate is important. They have different uses and evidence records, and a procedural change for the BHT docket does not establish a regulatory outcome for either chemical.
Consumers who want to know whether a packaged food contains BHT can consult the ingredient statement. The agency's population-level review is not individualized medical advice and does not replace guidance from a qualified clinician for a specific health concern.
After the comment window closes, the next public evidence will be FDA's assessment and any proposed action. Until then, the precise conclusion remains open and should not be inferred from the decision to seek more data.