What it is
The sodium salt of methylparaben, more water-soluble and therefore easier to incorporate into aqueous formulas.
What it does
Preservative in cosmetics and certain processed foods where a water-soluble paraben is required.
Why it’s a concern
Once dissolved, sodium methylparaben dissociates into methylparaben and shares the same endocrine-disruption concerns. Multiple reviews have called for tighter aggregate-exposure assessment given paraben detection in urine, blood, and breast tissue across population studies.
Also known as
sodium methyl parabensodium methyl 4-hydroxybenzoatee219
CAS numbers
5026-62-0
Commonly found in
processed foodlotion
Safer alternatives
- sodium benzoate
- potassium sorbate
- glyceryl caprylate
Related chemical families
Sources
- EWG Skin Deep
- SCCS Opinion on Parabens