Takis Fuego Contains TBHQ but Is Safe for Consumption. 

Takis Fuego, rolled tortilla chips, owned by Barcel is known for its hot and fiery taste and is one of the favorite snacks of many people. Other than Fuego, Takis has many other flavors of tortilla chips. 

Recently, consumers have raised concerns about the safety of consuming Takis Fuego, particularly due to the presence of the preservative TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone). Some claims suggest that TBHQ may be linked to serious health risks, including DNA damage, a weakened immune system, and even cancer.

However, Fact Crescendo found the claim to be misleading. TBHQ has been approved to be used in food products by food safety regulatory bodies, which makes Takis chips safe as well. 

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Fact Check- 

Tertiary butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ, is an additive to preserve processed foods. It acts as an antioxidant which protects foods with iron from discoloration. It is used to extend shelf life and prevent rancidity of the products.

There are studies which found that TBHQ can cause serious health issues. After a study on male rats, no death was observed. However, after a few weeks their body weight was found to have changed. Apart from this, higher doses of TBHQ resulted in DNA damage and damaged stomach cells within 24 hours of consumption.

However, after observing multiple studies closely, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set a safe daily limit for TBHQ at 0.7 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Studies have shown that most adults stay within this safe limit. However, there were some concerns that babies drinking infant formula with TBHQ could go over the limit. EFSA looked at updated data on how much TBHQ is used and how much people actually eat. They found that in the worst-case scenario, some toddlers and children might go over the limit. But under normal conditions, people of all ages are not likely to exceed the safe amount.

FDA approved TBHQ as a food additive and set specific conditions for its safe use. As per FDA, TBHQ must have a melting point of at least 126.5°C and be at least 99% pure. It should be used as an antioxidant, either alone or with BHA and BHT, to prevent oxidation in foods and the total amount of antioxidants, including TBHQ, in a food must not exceed 0.02% of the fat or oil content in the food.

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found the claim to be misleading. Although TBHQ can be harmful when consumed at very high doses, according to food safety regulatory bodies, people generally don’t exceed the safe amount. TBHQ has been approved to be used in food under specific value. Therefore, Takis Fuego chips are safe to consume.