BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)

BHA keeps the fat in kibble from spoiling, and regulators still permit it. The asterisk: at very high doses it caused forestomach tumours in rodents, so IARC lists it as a possible carcinogen — but dogs and cats have no forestomach, it doesn’t damage DNA, and that mechanism is considered not relevant to species without that organ. No proven harm to pets at the levels used. Still, the US FDA reopened its review in 2026, and many premium foods now preserve with vitamin E (tocopherols) or rosemary instead. If you’d rather skip it, those are the labels to look for.