{
  "schema": "vpfd-ingredient-v1",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Verified Pet Food Data — https://verifiedpetfooddata.com",
  "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/ingredients/bha/",
  "generated": "2026-08-28",
  "ingredient": {
    "id": "bha",
    "display_name": "BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)",
    "category": "preservative",
    "aliases": [
      "bha",
      "butylated hydroxyanisole"
    ],
    "stance": "controversial",
    "evidence_strength": "mixed",
    "note": "A synthetic antioxidant that slows fat oxidation (rancidity) in dry and fatty pet foods. Regulators permit it: EFSA judged BHA safe for most animal species up to 150 mg/kg complete feed, though it could not set a safe level for cats due to insufficient data. In vitro and high-dose laboratory studies report cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, but their relevance at the low inclusion levels used in pet food is unresolved and remains debated.",
    "citations": [
      {
        "source": "EFSA FEEDAP Panel — Safety and efficacy of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as a feed additive for all animal species (EFSA Journal)",
        "year": 2018,
        "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7009650/"
      },
      {
        "source": "Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of tert-butylhydroquinone, butylated hydroxyanisole and propyl gallate as synthetic food antioxidants (Food Science & Nutrition, in vitro)",
        "year": 2024,
        "url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11521724/"
      }
    ]
  },
  "prevalence": {
    "corpus_size": 2354,
    "foods_containing": 12,
    "corpus_pct": 0.51,
    "dog_foods": 11,
    "dog_pct": 0.99,
    "cat_foods": 1,
    "cat_pct": 0.08,
    "in_first_five_ingredients": 7,
    "by_form": {
      "dry": 12
    },
    "priced_foods": 6,
    "counting_note": "Counts what manufacturers print on the label. An ingredient present via another component (e.g. a preservative already in fish meal) need not be declared separately, so this is a floor, not a ceiling. Labels never disclose inclusion rate."
  },
  "foods": [
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-adult-marrobites-steak-and-vegetable",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-adult-marrobites-steak-and-vegetable/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Adult Marrobites Steak and Vegetable",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 51.1,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 0.794
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-healthy-weight-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-veg",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-healthy-weight-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-veg/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food – Chicken & Veg",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 7,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 54.5,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 0.828
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-tender-bites-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-steak",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-tender-bites-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-steak/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Tender Bites Dry Dog Food – Chicken & Steak",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 50,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 0.957
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-with-tender-bites-adult-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-steak",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-with-tender-bites-adult-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-steak/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® With TENDER BITES Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken & Steak",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 51.1,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 0.986
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-puppy-chicken-rice-and-vegetable-flavor",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-puppy-chicken-rice-and-vegetable-flavor/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE PUPPY™ Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 5,
      "protein_dm_pct": 30.7,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 44.3,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 1.072
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-puppy-grilled-steak-and-vegetable-flavor",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-puppy-grilled-steak-and-vegetable-flavor/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE PUPPY™ Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 5,
      "protein_dm_pct": 30.7,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 44.3,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": 1.193
    },
    {
      "slug": "9lives-daily-essentials",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/cat/foods/9lives-daily-essentials/",
      "name": "9Lives Daily Essentials",
      "brand": "9Lives",
      "species": "cat",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 18,
      "protein_dm_pct": 31.8,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 45.5,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-puppy-growth-and-protection-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-vegetable-flavor",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-puppy-growth-and-protection-dry-dog-food-chicken-and-vegetable-flavor/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE PUPPY™ Growth & Protection Dry Dog Food Chicken & Vegetable Flavor",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 5,
      "protein_dm_pct": 30.7,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 44.3,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-complete-nutrition-dry-dog-food-adult-roasted-chicken-rice-and-vegetable-flavor",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-complete-nutrition-dry-dog-food-adult-roasted-chicken-rice-and-vegetable-flavor/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food Adult Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 51.1,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-dry-dog-food-adult-grilled-steak-and-vegetable-flavor",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-dry-dog-food-adult-grilled-steak-and-vegetable-flavor/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Dry Dog Food Adult Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 51.1,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-small-dog-dry-food-grilled-steak-and-veg",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-small-dog-dry-food-grilled-steak-and-veg/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Small Dog Dry Food – Grilled Steak & Veg",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 50,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    },
    {
      "slug": "pedigree-small-dog-dry-food-roasted-chicken-rice-and-veg",
      "url": "https://verifiedpetfooddata.com/dog/foods/pedigree-small-dog-dry-food-roasted-chicken-rice-and-veg/",
      "name": "PEDIGREE® Small Dog Dry Food – Roasted Chicken, Rice & Veg",
      "brand": "Pedigree",
      "species": "dog",
      "form": "dry",
      "ingredient_position": 3,
      "protein_dm_pct": 23.9,
      "est_carbs_dm_pct": 50,
      "cost_per_1000kcal": null
    }
  ]
}