Propylparaben
The short version
Propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate — de-listed in EU food in 2006 over endocrine concerns; still in use elsewhere.
It's permitted and generally considered safe, but there are a few reasons to be mindful — like sensitivities in some people, debated studies, or intake limits. The Safety section below explains the specifics.
Safety profile
No current ADI. In 2004 EFSA could not recommend an ADI for propylparaben because, unlike methyl and ethyl paraben, it had effects on sex hormones and the male reproductive organs in juvenile rats and no clear no-observed-adverse-effect level was found; the EU then withdrew E216 and E217 in 2006. In 2006 JECFA also removed propylparaben from the parabens group ADI because of adverse effects on male reproductive organs in rats at dietary doses down to 10 mg/kg body weight per day.
Sources
- Directive 2006/52/EC of 5 July 2006 amending Directives 95/2/EC and 94/35/EC on food additives: recital 6 (withdrawal of E 216 and E 217) — European Union (text via legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives), 2006. EFSA 2004 could not set an ADI; EU withdrawal of E 216 and the reason for it
- WHO JECFA database: Propylparaben (INS 216), 67th meeting (2006), ADI withdrawn — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2006. JECFA removed propylparaben from the parabens group ADI
- 21 CFR 184.1670: Propylparaben (GRAS) — U.S. FDA / eCFR, 1984. US GRAS status as an antimicrobial, maximum 0.1% under GMP
- FDA: List of Select Chemicals in the Food Supply Under FDA Review (content current as of 2 October 2026) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026. FDA lists propylparaben as under scientific assessment
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