Here, our study on the effect of a phenolic antioxidant preservative tBHQ in OVA-elicited food allergy is the first to demonstrate that the food additive tBHQ promotes sensitization and exacerbates anaphylaxis in OVA-sensitized and -challenged mice and these effects likely occur through activation of the stress-activated transcription factor, Nrf2. Here, NFE2L2 is linked to food allergy.