Development and Validation of a Gradient HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Seven Parabens Including Heptyl Paraben in Processed Foods

Parabens are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products due to their effectiveness and chemical stability. However, concerns regarding their potential health effects have increased the need for reliable analytical methods for monitoring parabens in food products. In Korea, heptyl paraben has not been established as a permitted preservative in the Korean Food Additives Code. Therefore, an analytical method for heptyl paraben was first established, and subsequently incorporated into a simultaneous analytical method for commonly used parabens. In this study, a gradient high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of seven parabens including methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, isopropyl paraben, propyl paraben, isobutyl paraben, butyl paraben, and heptyl paraben in processed foods. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, and sensitivity. The developed method was successfully applied to several food matrices including tomato juice, pickled cucumber, mayonnaise, orange marmalade, and iced tea powder. The proposed method provides a reliable analytical approach for the simultaneous qualitative and quantitative determination of multiple parabens in processed foods and can be applied for food safety monitoring.