What Is TBHQ?
TBHQ is tertiary butylhydroquinone, chemically 2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,4-benzenediol, a food additive the FDA permits under 21 CFR 172.185. The regulation says it is used as an antioxidant, alone or in combination with BHA and/or BHT, and that the total antioxidant content of a food containing it may not exceed 0.02 percent of the food's oil or fat content, including its essential oil content.
Internationally, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) gives TBHQ an acceptable daily intake of 0 to 0.7 mg per kilogram of body weight. In its 1998 evaluation, JECFA recorded that intake estimates based on draft Codex food additive levels exceeded that ADI for mean intake in the three member states that submitted such data.
JECFA also noted that people who consume high levels of TBHQ could exceed the ADI, but that the available data were insufficient to estimate how many such consumers there are or the size and duration of their intake above it.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 172.185, TBHQ, also known as tertiary butylhydroquinone, may be safely used in food in accordance with prescribed conditions. US FDA, 21 CFR 172.185 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 172.185, TBHQ is used as an antioxidant alone or in combination with BHA and/or BHT. US FDA, 21 CFR 172.185 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 172.185, the total antioxidant content of a food containing TBHQ may not exceed 0.02 percent of the oil or fat content, including essential oil content. US FDA, 21 CFR 172.185 (eCFR) ↗
- Government sourceJECFA's 1998 evaluation recorded that intake estimates based on draft Codex food additive levels exceeded TBHQ's ADI of 0 to 0.7 mg/kg body weight for mean intake in three member states. JECFA, World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceJECFA said high consumers of TBHQ could exceed the ADI, but the available data were insufficient to estimate the number of such consumers or the magnitude and duration of their intake. JECFA, World Health Organization ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.