E218Preservative
Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate
A preservative called methylparaben.
It helps keep food from spoiling.
Written from English Wikipedia1
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
How it’s made and used
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Preservative mold inhibition2
In lab studies, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate stopped mold growth better than sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, except in one mold.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
United States Permitted FDA 21 CFR 184.1490
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European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 84 products on Open Food Facts that list methyl p-hydroxybenzoate.
- strawberry calpol · 100 ml 8 additives
- Advanced Repair 7 additives
- Dermoplast Pain Relieving Spray Dermoplast 2 additives
- Gaviscon 3 additives
- piriton syrup 3 additives
- Old Spice Deep Sea Old Spice 6 additives
References
- 1Methylparaben. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
- 2Matos TJ, Jensen BB, Bernardo FM, Barreto AH, Hojberg O. Mycoflora of two types of Portuguese dry-smoked sausages and inhibitory effect of sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate on mold growth rate. J Food Prot. 2007;70(6):1468-74. doi:10.4315/0362-028x-70.6.1468