High riskHeavily penalizedDogs and cats
BHA
Also labeled as
butylated hydroxyanisole
Why it matters
Synthetic preservative listed by the US National Toxicology Program as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on animal studies. Restricted in parts of the EU. Natural alternatives such as mixed tocopherols exist.
How PawScore treats it
Foods containing BHA are heavily penalized when we grade the label. We don't publish the exact numeric weights so scores stay honest as the rubric evolves.