In particular, when administered in high doses as part of their diet, BHA causes papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the forestomach in rats and Syrian golden hamsters.

[5] When examining human population statistics, the usual low intake levels of BHA show no significant association with an increased risk of cancer.

Also noted is that endocrine disruption, if any, is only likely to be present at levels vastly exceeding the intake as a food.

[8] The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – Summaries & Evaluations stated butylated hydroxyanisole was tested for carcinogenicity in two experiments in rats and in two experiments in hamsters by administration in the diet, inducing benign and malignant tumours of the forestomach.

[9] One of its metabolites is TBHQ (t-butylhydroquinone), a preservative made infamous by food writer Michael Pollan.