High riskHeavily penalizedDogs and cats
TBHQ
Also labeled as
tertiary butylhydroquinone
Why it matters
Synthetic preservative related to BHA. High doses linked to adverse effects in laboratory animal studies. Unnecessary given natural alternatives.
How PawScore treats it
Foods containing TBHQ are heavily penalized when we grade the label. We don't publish the exact numeric weights so scores stay honest as the rubric evolves.