Antibacterial Effects of Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) against Bacillus species

ABSTRACT

The antibacterial effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) was evaluated in laboratory media and in two foods. In nutrient broth growth of Bucillus species (three strains of B. cereus, two of which were enterotoxigenic, and one strain each of B. subtilis and B. megaterium) was inhibited by 75 ppm of BHA. In tests with food systems growth inhibition of vegetative cells of these organisms required 1000 ppm in cooked rice and 5000 ppm in strained chicken. The effect of BHA was bacteriostatic at the tested levels (≤ 200 ppm in laboratory media and ≤ 10,000 ppm in the food systems), and viable cells were recovered from all samples. Bacterial growth resumed in samples which contained bacteriostatic levels of BHA after dilution with antioxidant free broth or food.