Comparing E210 - Benzoic acid vs E218 - Methyl p-hydroxybenzoate
Overview
Synonyms
Products
Found in 386 products
Found in 69 products
Search rank & volume
Awareness score
Search volume over time
Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 4 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
Is benzoic acid soluble in water?
Only sparingly—about 3 g per liter at room temperature; its solubility increases in hot water and it dissolves readily in many organic solvents.
Is benzoic acid polar?
It has a polar carboxyl group but a nonpolar aromatic ring, so overall it’s only weakly polar; its benzoate salt is much more polar and water‑soluble.
Is benzoic acid a strong acid?
No—it's a weak acid, with a pKa of about 4.2.
What is the melting point of benzoic acid?
About 122–123 °C (251–253 °F).
Is benzoic acid bad for you?
At approved food levels it’s considered safe, with an ADI of 0–5 mg/kg body weight/day; some people may experience irritation or hypersensitivity, and benzene formation in certain acidic drinks is monitored and kept very low.
Is methylparaben bad?
Not generally—methylparaben (E218) is a permitted food preservative and is considered safe at the low levels used in foods, being rapidly metabolized and excreted.
Is methylparaben safe?
Yes; regulators such as JECFA set an acceptable daily intake of 0–10 mg/kg body weight/day (for methyl and ethyl parabens), and typical dietary exposure is well below this.
Does methylparaben cause cancer?
There’s no convincing evidence that methylparaben causes cancer at dietary exposures, and it isn’t classified as a human carcinogen; its weak estrogenic activity occurs at doses far above food-use levels.
Are methylparaben and propylparaben safe?
Methylparaben is considered safe at permitted food levels; propylparaben is allowed at low levels in some places (e.g., GRAS in the U.S.) but is not authorized as a food additive in the EU.
Is methylparaben bad for you?
For most people, no—within legal limits it is regarded as safe and helps prevent spoilage; adverse reactions from ingestion are uncommon.