Methylparaben: Composition, Uses & Safety in Cosmetics & Food

Methylparaben is a colorless and tasteless antifungal agent frequently used by the pharmaceutical and food industries to preserve cosmetics, food and drug items. Methylparaben is also sold under the names Maseptol, Nipagin, Paridol, Solbrol, Moldex and Preserval.

Composition

• Synthesized methylparaben is extracted from benzoic acid, which is released from the benzoin gum tree when it's subjected to heat. It has a structural formula of CH3(C6H4(OH)COO and a molecular formula of C8H8O3. Methylparabens are naturally found in some fruits, vegetables and plants, including blueberries, wintergreen and birthwort.

Uses

• Methylparaben was first used by the pharmaceutical industry in 1924. Its strong antimicrobial properties are used to preserve the life of packaged food and enhance personal care and cosmetic items, including skin creams, makeup, shampoo and suntan lotions.

Safety

• Fears have been rising over the synthetic use of methylparabens, with several cosmetic brands choosing to remove all parabens and use only organic and natural ingredients in products. The U.S Food and Drug Association (FDA) concluded that methylparabens are safe to use in consumer goods at levels of up to 25 percent of the net product. In most instances, methylparaben usage levels range from 0.1 to 0.3 percent.