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Thymoquinone (THQ), extracted from Nigella essential oil and seeds, binds to human α 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), which marginally enhances its thermal stability and changes the molten globulelike state to higher temperatures (Lupidi et al., 2012). Fluorescence quenching and molecular docking suggested that hydrophobic interactions and to a lesser extent hydrogen bonds are responsible for THQ ...
- Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress is defined as a process by which a higher...
- Oxidative Stress
- Overview
- Where is it found?
- FDA limits
- The possible dangers
- How much do I get from my food?
- Avoiding TBHQ
Tertiary butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ, is an additive to preserve processed foods. It acts as an antioxidant, but unlike the healthy antioxidants you find in fruits and vegetables, it has a controversial reputation.
TBHQ, like many food additives, is used to extend shelf life and prevent rancidity. It’s a light-colored crystalline product with a slight odor. Because it’s an antioxidant, TBHQ protects foods with iron from discoloration, which food manufacturers find beneficial.
TBHQ is used in fats, including vegetable oils and animal fats. Many processed foods contain some fats, so it’s found in a wide range of products — for example, snack crackers, noodles, and fast and frozen foods. It’s allowed to be used in the highest concentrations in frozen fish products.
But food isn’t the only place you’ll find TBHQ. It’s also included in paints, varnishes, and skin care products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines which food additives are safe for U.S. consumers. The FDA puts a limit on how much of a particular additive can be used:
•when there’s evidence that large quantities may be harmful
•if there is a lack of safety evidence overall
TBHQ can’t account for more than 0.02 percent of the oils in a food because the FDA doesn’t have evidence that greater amounts are safe. While that doesn’t mean more than 0.02 percent is dangerous, it does indicate that higher safety levels haven’t been determined.
So what are the potential dangers of this common food additive? Research has linked TBHQ and BHA to numerous possible health problems.
According to the Centers for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a well-designed government study found that this additive increased the incidence of tumors in rats.
And according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), cases of vision disturbances have been reported when humans consume TBHQ. This organization also cites studies that have found TBHQ to cause liver enlargement, neurotoxic effects, convulsions, and paralysis in laboratory animals.
Some believe BHA and TBHQ also affect human behavior. It’s this belief that has landed the ingredients on the “do not consume” list of the Feingold Diet, a dietary approach to managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Advocates of this diet say that those who struggle with their behavior should avoid TBHQ.
As noted above, the FDA considers TBHQ to be safe, particularly in small amounts. However, some research indicates that Americans may be getting more than they should.
A 1999 evaluation by the World Health Organization found the “average” intake of TBHQ in the United States to be around 0.62 mg/kg of body weight. That’s about 90 percent of the acceptable daily intake. Consumption of TBHQ was at 1.2 mg/kg of body weight in those who eat high fat diets. That results in 180 percent of the acceptable daily intake.
Whether you manage the diet of a child with ADHD or are just concerned about eating a preservative tied to possible health risks, getting into the habit of reading labels can help you avoid TBHQ and related preservatives.
Watch for labels that list the following:
•tert-butylhydroquinone
•tertiary butylhydroquinone
•TBHQ
•butylated hydroxyanisol
- Anna Schaefer
May 3, 2021 · Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed during normal cellular respiration and as a reaction to xenobiotics.55 They are highly reactive, and thus may harm and change the functions of various cell components, such as lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.56 Oxidative stress occurs due to imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants,57 and it is a crucial factor in pathogenesis of ...
- Osama A Badary, Marwa S Hamza, Rajiv Tikamdas
- 2021
May 29, 2014 · Traditionally, it has been used in different forms to treat many diseases including asthma, hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, headache, eczema, fever, dizziness and influenza. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that N. sativa extracts and the main constituent of their volatile oil, thymoquinone, possess antioxidant ...
- Mohannad Khader, Peter M Eckl
- 2014
Jun 15, 2018 · 5. Could Lead to Food Allergies. Possibly one of the most recent (and most pronounced) dangers of tBHQ is its potential to induce or worsen food allergies. Cheryl Rockwell, PhD, a researcher at Michigan State University, has been conducting research in immunology and, specifically, how tBHQ interacts with immunity.
- Rebekah Edwards
Nov 27, 2023 · Thymoquinone (THQ) and its nanoformulation (NFs) have emerged as promising candidates for the treatment of neurological diseases due to their diverse pharmacological properties, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. In this study, we conducted an extensive search across reputable scientific websites such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar ...
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Jun 1, 2020 · 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.
