Methylparaben
- Benchmark: Benchmark 2
- Assessed: 2025-11-06
- Expires: 2028-06-21
Used primarily in Cosmetics & Personal Care, Food Contact & Additives, and Pharmaceuticals applications, Methylparaben is specifically used in antimicrobial agent, cosmetics, food industry, personal care products, pharmaceutical, and preservative.
Methylparaben is manufactured by esterifying 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst,
such as sulfuric acid, and an excess of methanol, followed by neutralization with caustic soda (CIR 2020). It is frequently used in cosmetics and personal care products, as a food additive for human food and animal feed, and as an excipient in pharmaceuticals (CIR 2020). Methylparaben is naturally occurring in some fruits, such as blueberries, and prevents decomposition of foods by preventing the growth of fungi or bacteria (ChEBI 2023).
Chemical Synonyms 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester; methyl p-hydroxybenzoate; methyl-4-hydroxybenzoate; methyl parahydroxybenzoate; p-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester; pmethoxycarbonylphenol; benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, methyl ester; p-carbomethoxyphenol; FEMA No. 2710; CCRIS 3946; HSDB 1184; EINECS 202-785-7 (PubChem 2023).
Key Functions: Cosmetics & Personal Care, Food Contact & Additives, Pharmaceuticals