Comment from CSPI
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Summary: The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) supports the FDA's initiation of a post-market evaluation of BHT. They argue that because BHT shows evidence of carcinogenicity in animals, the FDA should use its regulatory authority to ban the substance from the food supply.
Dear Acting Commissioner Diamantas, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) respectfully submits these comments in response to Docket No. FDA-2026-N-2526-0001. We appreciate the agency’s ongoing commitment to reforming the post-market assessment system for evaluating food chemical safety. CSPI is encouraged to see the agency initiate a post-market evaluation of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) following its inclusion in the FDA’s List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review. While we are encouraged that the FDA is requesting information on the use and safety of BHT in food, BHT’s continued use in the food supply despite evidence of carcinogenicity and uncertainties regarding other health effects is a good example of why FDA must move swiftly to implement its recently finalized framework for post-market assessment of food chemicals. We hope the FDA will move through that process and use its existing regulatory authorities to fulfill its public health mandate to ban BHT from food. Please see attached comment for additional detail.