tert-butylhydroquinone

Tert-butylhydroquinone (CAS 1948-33-0), commercially known as TBHQ, is a synthetic phenolic antioxidant used in food, industrial, and personal care markets.

Where is tert-butylhydroquinone used?

• Food manufacturing: delays rancidity in edible oils, fried snack foods, and animal fats
• Cosmetics and personal care: protects unsaturated ingredients in creams, lip products, and oil-based formulations from degradation during storage
• Plastics and polymer processing: polymerization inhibitor and stabilizer that prevents premature crosslinking in resins and elastomers
• Lubricants and metalworking fluids: controls oxidation in petroleum-based products, reducing deposit formation over service life
• It prevents oxidative degradation in fats, oils, and polymers.

Good to know: Approved as a food additive in numerous regulatory frameworks; one of the most effective lipid-stabilizing agents at low use levels.

Commercial specifications

• Food-grade material meets FCC and EU specifications, including purity requirements aligned with E 319 standards in applicable markets