Parabens, or parabens are a type of chemical compound commonly used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. Effectively they act as preservatives in many types of chemical formulas. These compounds and their salts are used mainly for their bactericidal and fungicidal. They can be found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, sexual lubricants, dentifrices, sunless and parenteral, and topical medications. They are also used as food additives. In food preservation are used since the 1930's, for the protection of meat products, especially the treaties by heat, canned vegetables and fatty products, pastries and table sauces. Used in filling of cakes, soft drinks, juices, dressings, salads, jellies with artificial sweeteners, while heptilo ester is used in beer. Also have used in medical products for use topico.1su effectiveness as preservatives in combination with its low cost, its long history of safety in use and the unproven effectiveness of natural ingredients as the toronja2 seed extract probably explains why parabens are so common.However, controversy about these products is growing, and some organizations that adhere to the precautionary principle are opposed to its everyday use.