Ethylparaben is an ethyl ester resulting from the formal condensation of the carboxy group of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid with ethanol, It has a role as an antimicrobial food preservative, an antifungal agent, a plant metabolite and a phytoestrogen.
Ethylparaben (ethyl para-hydroxybenzoate) is the ethyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Its formula is HO-C6H4-CO-O-CH2CH3. It is a member of the class of compounds known as parabens.