Canola Sunflower With TBHQ For Freshness

This ingredient is a blend of canola oil and sunflower oil, which are vegetable oils extracted from rapeseed and sunflower seeds, respectively. It also contains TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone), a synthetic antioxidant.

Manufacturers add this blend primarily as a source of fat for cooking and to improve the texture of foods. The added TBHQ acts as a preservative, helping to prevent the oils from spoiling and becoming rancid, thus extending the shelf life of products like biscuits and cookies.

Canola oil and sunflower oil are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. TBHQ is an FDA-approved food additive. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated TBHQ and set an acceptable daily intake. While some studies have raised questions about high doses, major regulatory bodies, including the FDA and JECFA, consider it safe for consumption at approved levels.