methylparaben

thumb|right|UV-visible spectrum of methylparaben

Methylparaben (methyl paraben) one of the parabens, is a preservative with the chemical formula . It is the methyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Several related esters are known (ethyl-, propyl-, butylparaben). Together they are the most common preservatives in cosmetics and foods. Among their advantages, parabens are inexpensive, colorless, stable, odorless, and readily biodegraded.