TERTIARY-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE IN POTATO CHIPS
TBHQ which stands for “tertiary-butyl hydroquinone”, is both used as a preservative
and antioxidant in fats and oils to protect against oxidative deterioration or rancidity and
therefore extend storage stability. This ingredient is fat-soluble and especially effective
for unsaturated vegetable oils with the European food additive number E319.
Picture showing Tertiary-Butylhydroquinone
MANUFACTURING OF TBHQ
TBHQ is produced by reacting hydroquinone with tert-butanol or isobutylene. Here is a
detailed manufacturing process between hydroquinone and tert-butanol.
THE MECHANISM OF TERTIARY-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE IN CHIPS (LAYS
CHIPS)
Processed chips rich in Fats and oils often suffer from spoilage during processing, storage and
transportation. Free radicals are generated from unsaturated fatty acids after oils & fats are
exposed to light, oxygen, metal ions and bacteria.
And following several reactions, unsaturated fatty acids convert to hydroxides and secondary
oxidation products which can change the physical and chemical properties of oils and fats (e.g.
color, flavor, smell and nutritional value) and finally shorten the shelf life and make the oils &
fats or the foods deteriorate or even make foods become toxic.
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Lays chips
The oxidation mechanism is generally as follows:
TBHQ provides hydrogen free radicals which terminate the above free radical chain transfer
reaction of unsaturated fatty acids. This is the mechanism of how TBHQ works as an antioxidant.
INGREDIENTS AND OTHER ADDITIVRES IN LAYS CHIPS
Just to mention a few, processed chips also contain additives such as Aspartame (E951) (which
is an artificial sweetener and is made up of aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol),
Maltodextrin, Food acids (E262, E330) and Anticaking agent E951.
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NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF LAYS CHIPS
SIDE EFFECTS OF CONSUMING TERTIARY-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE
While it is clear that TBHQ protects the oils and fats in food, unfortunately its effects on
humans are a little less clear-cut. In most jurisdictions, TBHQ has been deemed safe for
use at concentrations of less than 0.02% in food items and at concentrations below 0.1%
in cosmetics. However, the junk food-heavy diets of those in many Western nations see
consumption of TBHQ surpass recommended safe daily limits. TBHQ has some
protective effects but may be wreaking havoc on your body particularly at higher
consumption levels.
TBHQ has been shown to have some protective effects against liver and skin cell death,
and some cancers, for example. It also appears to have neuroprotective effects in patients
with neurodegenerative conditions such as MS. However, particularly at higher levels, it
has been shown to promote some cancers such as stomach tumours. Other studies report
that it has negative effects on DNA. It causes strand separation within the DNA which
promotes cancer within the body. This is aggravated by its prevention of the proliferation
of probiotics or ‘good bacteria’ in the digestive tract leading to poor gut health.
TBHQ also acts as an immunotoxin with varying effects on the immune system. It
interferes with the maturation of natural killer immune cells. This is a big deal because
natural killer cells are necessary for early detection of cancers and containment of cells
infected by viruses. They also secrete special compounds that prompt other immune cells
to step into action, creating an enhanced immune response. Studies have found that by
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consuming TBHQ, you will have a harder time battling the flu and that flu vaccine you
had will be less effective. TBHQ could also be promoting allergic reactions and immune
hypersensitivity.
HOW TO AVOID EFFECTS OF TERTIARY-BUTYLHYDROQUINONE
In essence, the same advice dieticians have been stressing for ages applies here too. Avoid
processed foods, eat healthy whole foods and include prebiotics and fibre to promote
probiotic growth. By avoiding processed foods, you won’t be consuming so many food
preservatives such as TBHQ. Focus on consuming healthy fats and oils from foods such
as avocado that aren’t laden with preservatives to reduce oil oxidation. Also, it’s
important to note that supplements such as fish oils that might seem healthy can often
contain TBHQ and similar preservatives to ensure the supplement does not go rancid.
SOURCES
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212429217309203?casa_to
ken=6FPr2S8z9gQAAAAA:INIoz0We6udjxILxcg2U5HMgSY9WeFheEU3SJb
Eb0sZoItiM8Qa1GCz61eiTQflPKAM2KT6Idw

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/7/3332

https://foodadditives.net/antioxidant/tbhq/

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ad/2020/5793817/

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/16043#section=GC-MS

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24055888/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015626477803854

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4297602/

https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.2019.33.1_supplem
ent.505.3

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-a-common-food-preservativeharm-the-immune-system#TBHQ-and-PFAS

https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesizedimmunology/cells/natural-killeriv
cells#:~:text=Natural%20Killer%20(NK)%20Cells%20are,coming%20from%20
a%20common%20progenitor.&text=They%20are%20named%20for%20this,to
%20enhance%20the%20immune%20response.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691518306240?casa_to
ken=LFttI7xKBwsAAAAA:oTZQnAla7YvwgmICJ7p8YhceMvMfleH7LcB_X
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