One of the most contentious and widely used synthetic preservatives is para-hydroxybenzoic acid alkyl ester, commonly known as paraben.
Parabens are derived from a crude oil or petroleum base and are utilised as broad spectrum preservatives and antibacterial agents. The paraben family is found in almost all personal care products, cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations, most of which usually contain two or more as apart of a preservative system. The European Union (EU)- the regulatory body that governs labelling requirements, enforces that products must list all ingredients in descending order. Elsewhere in the world ingredients that are less than 1 per cent are often omitted or are listed under other names. More information in the main article.