E321 Antioxidant

E321 also known as dibutyl hydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic organic compound, chemically a derivative of phenol, that is useful for its antioxidant properties.E321 is widely used to prevent free radical-mediated oxidation in fluids (e.g. fuels, oils) and other materials, and the regulations are overseen by the U.S. F.D.A.—which considers E321 to be "generally recognized as safe"—allow small amounts to be added to foods. Despite this, and the earlier determination by the National Cancer Institute that E321 was noncarcinogenic in an animal model, societal concerns over its broad use have been expressed. E321 has also been postulated as an antiviral drug, but as of, the use of E321 as a drug is not supported by the scientific literature and it has not been approved by any drug regulatory agency for use as an antiviral.