BHT full form in medical term is Butylated Hydroxytoluene. If you often go grocery shopping then you should get familiar with BHT. For food and grocery items like chips, cereals, sausage, vegetable oil, butter, and chewing gum packages, food companies use Butylated Hydroxytoluene to prevent the oil in the food items from oxidizing which ultimately results in preserving the food items for a longer period of time. However, BHT is quite a controversial substance in the medical field.
As mentioned earlier, BHT is considered to be a controversial substance because there are some studies that show BHT increases the risk of cancer in animals. However, some medical professionals are in the favor of BHT being a healthy substance to consume with no side effects. On the other hand, some studies show that BHT has anti-cancer properties for human beings. But there are no long-term studies done on this substance. And some people suggest buying food items that use Vitamin E instead of Butylated Hydroxytoluene to keep the food item fresh. And Keep in mind that the Center of Science in the Public Interest keeps BHT on its caution list.