Ethyl Paraben; Ethyl-P-Hydroxybenzoate

(in 10,566 products)

Banned by Gov or classified as a carcinogen by IARC

1. Antimicrobial Preservative - Actively kills and inhibits the growth of unwanted microorganisms which may be harmful.

2. Preservative - Prevents and inhibits the growth of unwanted microorganisms which may be harmful

Ethylparaben (ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate) is the ethyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. It is a member of the class of compounds known as parabens.

It is used as an antifungal and antibacterial synthetic preservative in tablets and capsules. It is more effective against yeasts and fungi than against bacteria. It is approved to use as a food additive (E214) and cosmetics preservative in the EU.

Has proven to have high retention rates in the human body and in marine animals, which may lead to eventual toxicity. [2][3][4][5] Can be detected in human breast tissue with breast cancer since it is able to "act like a very weak estrogen in the body". [6]

1. PubChem: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/8434

2. Paraben esters: review of recent studies of endocrine toxicity, absorption, esterase and human exposure, and discussion of potential human health risks. (J Appl Toxicol. 2008 Jul;28(5):561-78. DOI: 10.1002/jat.1358.)

3. Measurement of paraben concentrations in human breast tissue at serial locations across the breast from axilla to sternum. (J Appl Toxicol. 2012 Mar;32(3):219-32. DOI: 10.1002/jat.1786. Epub 2012 Jan 12.)

4. Methylparaben stimulates tumor initiating cells in ER+ breast cancer models. (J Appl Toxicol. 2017 Apr;37(4):417-425. DOI: 10.1002/jat.3374. Epub 2016 Sep 1.)

5. Elevated Accumulation of Parabens and their Metabolites in Marine Mammals from the United States Coastal Waters (Environ. Sci. Technol., 2015, 49 (20), pp 12071–12079 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b03601)

6. http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/cosmetics

1. South Korea - Ministry of Food and Drug Safety - Prohibited/Restricted Chemicals

- Ref: 1135, 1174, 1246

2. Palau Sunscreen Ban (Senate Bill No. 10-135, SD1, HD1), https://www.icriforum.org/the-republic-of-palau-bans-sunscreen-chemicals-to-protect-its-coral-reefs-and-unesco-world-heritage-site/ - Ethyl paraben

3. EU Approved Food Additive [2018]

- E214

4. Japan’s List of Designated Food Additives under Article 10 of the Food Sanitation Act

- Ethyl p-Hydroxybenzoate

5. EU CosIng Annex V, PRESERVATIVES ALLOWED IN COSMETIC PRODUCTS [2017]

- Ref: V/12

6. Association of Southeast Asian Nations Annex VI, Allowed Preservatives

- potassium ethylparaben, sodium ethylparaben, ethylparaben