First Consumers Find the Petroleum Derived Food Additive TBHQ in McDonald's Chicken Nuggets and Now Kellogg's Eggo Frozen Waffles? Just How Many Products is TBHQ in Anyway?

So you think you are getting a healthy waffle with the whole grain, but wait a minute..."What is with the TBHQ Kellogs?"

Judging from the number of hits that my post about TBHQ in Mc Donald's chicken nuggets   gets, I thought you guys might be interested in yet another product I have found which contains petroleum (crude oil) derived TBHQ (Tertiary Butylhydroquinone).   Amazingly enough, I just found TBHQ in Kellogg's Eggo waffles!  According to A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives, TBHQ is a form of butane* (or lighter fluid) and ingesting amounts as little as one gram of TBHQ can cause "nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, delirium, a sense of suffocation, and collapse."   Ingesting TBHQ has also been associated with ADHD in children.  So I wondered, just how much of our food supply is doctored up with TBHQ anyway? 

My girls love these Van's Organic Waffles and they have nothing artificial in them!

Now I am most certain that (as with the McDonald's chicken nuggets) the amount of TBHQ in the Kellogg's Eggo waffles is within acceptable limits for the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to consider it G.R.A.S. (generally Recognized as Safe).  Still, I am not a huge fan of believing that the FDA is keeping our food supply safe...are you?  Think eggs, tomatoes, peanut butter, spinach.

My Hubby hates the Van's Organic Waffles so these Publix waffles without TBHQ I buy just for him.

Remember, TBHQ is not allowed in the McDonald's Chicken Nuggets in Europe and although the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) deems it safe in small amounts, they still have concerns about it being used in foods that are consumed by children in large quantities like infant formula.   So just how many products is TBHQ in anyway and how much are we feeding our kids?

Well we must remember to look in not only our food ingredients but in other consumer products as well.  For example, pharmaceutical products such as creams and oils contain fats and oils so TBHQ is added to prevent oxidation.  Please feel free to leave a comment and let us know how many consumer products you have found which contain TBHQ.  Oh, but wait...it may be hard to compile a complete list as TBHQ may be listed as "anti-oxidants" in ingredient lists as it prevents fat from becoming spoiling and becoming rancid.  There are many natural, beneficial anti-oxidants, but they are much more expensive than the synthetic versions.

Are you getting on board with whole foods and organics yet?  In the case of TBHQ, food is literally our fuel and artificial additives equal low octane. 

Remember, living a greener lifestyle means looking out for not only the health of our planet, but our health as well.  Keep learning, keep questioning and keep telling your friends and family about everything you discover about how to live a healthier, greener life.



P.S.- I am really glad that you stopped by our Environmental Booty Blog and I hope you have learned or shared a thing or two.  I hope that , now that you've found us,  you won't lose us!  You can join our green living online community, subscribe to our posts,  download our community toolbar, Tweet with me on Twitter or Come Shop with Me to stay in touch!  - Shane :)

*Found an interesting piece about this which seems to confirm the concern over large quantities of TBHQ but insists it is in now way butane.