Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Function: Antioxidant
E321 is the European food-additive number for Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
What is E321 used for?
Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all antioxidants (E-numbers).
Is E321 safe or restricted?
E321 is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E321 vegan or vegetarian?
Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E321?
E321 appears in 6,842 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in chewing gum, frozen pizza and pizza.
- Chewing Gum875
- Frozen Pizza553
- Pizza394
- Sausages342
- Salami / Chorizo283
- Sandwiches157
- Granola Bars154
- Extruded Snacks122
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E321 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E321
- What is E321?
- E321 is the E-number for Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is an antioxidant used as a food additive.
- What is E321 used for?
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E321?
- E321 appears in 6,842 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in chewing gum, frozen pizza and pizza. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E321 vegan or vegetarian?
- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (E321) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E321 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E321 is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as "Under monitoring" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E321 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.