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Sodium ethylparaben

CAS 99-76-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 10 other CAS numbers

99-96-7 · 114-63-6 · 120-47-8 · 5026-62-0 · 16782-08-4 · 26112-07-2 · 35285-68-8 · 36457-19-9 · 69959-44-0 · 85080-04-2

Sodium ethylparaben chemical structure

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Sodium ethylparaben in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “4-HYDROXYBENZOIC acid”.

Also known as 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC acid · Calcium paraben · Ethylparaben · Methylparaben · Potassium ethylparaben · Potassium methylparaben

Show all 41 names

Potassium paraben · Sodium methylparaben · Sodium paraben · Ethylparaben sodium · Sodium salt ethylparaben · Sodium ethyl hydroxybenzoate · Sodium ethyl parahydroxybenzoate · 4-HYDROXYBENZOIC acid, ethyl ester, sodium salt · Benzoic acid, 4-HYDROXY-, ethyl ester, sodium salt · Sodium ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate · Sodium ethylhydroxybenzoate · Sodium 4-(ethoxycarbonyl)phenolate · sodium 4-ethoxycarbonylphenolate · 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid-ethyl ester sodium · Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, ethyl ester, sodium salt (1:1) · Calcium bis(4-hydroxybenzoate) · E-215 · E215 · Ethyl hydroxybenzoate sodium · Ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate · sodium salt Ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate · Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate · Potassium 4-hydroxybenzoate · Potassium ethyl 4-oxidobenzoate · Potassium methyl 4-oxidobenzoate · Sodium ethyl 4-HYDROXYBENZOATE · Sodium 4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenolate · Sodium 4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxide · Sodium 4-hydroxybenzoate · UNII-Z0D00IVA10 · methylis parahydroxybenzoas · methylis parahydroxybenzoas natricum · methylparaben sodium · odium 4-(ethoxycarbonyl)phenolate · sodium;4-ethoxycarbonylphenolate

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a preservative and a fragrance ingredient. Ethylparaben is the ester of ethyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid.

  • Preservative
  • Fragrance
  • Flavouring agent
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

What the listings say

Permitted, with conditions — Sodium ethylparaben appears on published "allowed" regulatory lists rather than on a restriction list.

4-Hydroxybenzoic acid and its Methyl- and Ethyl-esters, and their salts is listed in Annex V of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (preservatives allowed in cosmetic products).

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Sodium ethylparaben appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • EU Annex V — permitted preservative
  • EU permitted preservative
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • EUCosIngActive9 entries
    • 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid is the aromatic acid that a conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Cosmetics Regulation annex V / ref 12.Source →
    • Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Ethylparaben is the ester of ethyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. It conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Methylparaben is the ester of methyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. It conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Potassium Methylparaben is the potassium salt of Methylparaben that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Potassium Paraben is the organic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Sodium Ethylparaben is the sodium salt of Ethylparaben (q.v.) that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
    • Sodium Paraben is the organic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: V/12Source →
  • EUECallowed_listedAnnex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of esters
    • Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 0,4% (as acid) for single ester 0,8% (as acid) for mixtures of estersSource →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinionFlavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)
    • Flavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFANo safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agentJECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.Source →
  • GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3 composition records across product categories including Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3 composition records across product categories including Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Preservative.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
  • USFDAinactive ingredient databaseRoute: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 1 mg
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 1 mgSource →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Flavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)

      2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

    • JECFA evaluation record.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Sodium ethylparaben yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes

    regulatory · updated 2026-06-12

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated September 2013

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →

  • PubChem Live Enrichment

    chemistry · updated 2026-05-17

    Open →
Reference links (1)
Openfda substance

sciencedirect.com

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Sodium ethylparaben in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

3

Named organisations

5

Personal care

Typical roles

PreservativeFragranceFlavouring agent
See products using Sodium ethylparaben →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Sodium ethylparaben are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Sodium ethylparaben; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 950 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Sodium ethylparaben in the catalog.