Parabens

Preservatives in food and cosmetics

Parabens are esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. They are used as preservatives in food and cosmetics. The application in Europe is regulated through the cosmetics and food additives regulations (Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 and (EU) No. 1129/2011 respectively).

Some parabens showed endocrine effects in animal studies. This led to legislative restrictions of most parabens in 2014.

Substances

• Methyl paraben

  Methyl paraben (MEP) is a preservative which is used in cosmetics and food. In the European Union (EU) methyl paraben and its natrium salt are listed in the regulation of food additives (Regulation (EU) No. 1129/2011) as E numbers E218 and E219.

  Search data

• Ethyl paraben

  Ethyl paraben (EtP) is a preservative which is used in cosmetics and food. In the European Union (EU) methyl paraben and its natrium salt are listed in the regulation of food additives (Regulation (EU) No. 1129/2011) as E numbers E214 and E215.

  Search data

• iso-propyl paraben

  The application of iso-propyl paraben (iPrP) as a preservative in cosmetics and food is prohibited in the European Union (EU) since 2014.

  Search data

• n-propyl paraben

  n-propyl paraben (nPrP) is used as preservative in cosmetics in the European Union (EU) with exception of products for small children.

  Search data

• iso-butyl paraben

  The application of iso-butyl paraben (iBuP) as a preservative in cosmetics and food is prohibited in the European Union (EU) since 2014.

  Search data

• n-butyl paraben

  n-butyl paraben (nBuP) is used as preservative in cosmetics in the European Union (EU) with exception of products for small children.
  

  Search data

• Pentyl paraben

  The application of pentyl paraben (PeP) as a preservative in cosmetics and food is prohibited in the European Union (EU) since 2014.

  Search data

• Heptyl paraben

  The application of heptyl paraben (HeP) as a preservative in cosmetics and food is prohibited in the European Union (EU) since 2014.

  Search data

• Benzyl paraben

  The application of benzyl paraben (BzP) as a preservative in cosmetics and food is prohibited in the European Union (EU) since 2014.
  

  Search data

Specimen

• Students

  Student groups with an even number of female and male students at the age of 20 to 29.

  Search data

Sampling area

Sampling period

Extended information

Links to external information and legislation

• " href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32009R1223" target="_blank">Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (Text with EEA relevance) (external)
• " href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011R1129" target="_blank">Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a Union list of food additives Text with EEA relevance (external)
• " href="https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/378/dokumente/art_10.1007_s00103-014-2055-8.pdf" target="_blank">Stoffmonographie für Parabene - Referenzwerte für Parabene im Urin von Erwachsenen (PDF, external source) (external)

Literature

• Parabens in 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012
  Moos, Rebecca K.; Koch, Holger M.; Angerer, Jürgen; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Brüning, Thomas; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike
  International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 218 (2015), 7, 666-674, 2015
  
• Daily intake and hazard index of parabens based upon 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012
  Moos, Rebecca K.; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Brüning, Thomas; Koch, Holger M.
  Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, online 30 November 2016, 2016