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SULFUR DIOXIDE IN FOOD: REGULATORY OVERVIEW
Abulkasimov S. A.
Abdullayeva D. G.
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
Tashkent Medical Academy
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14855087
Annotation
Sulfites are noted as potential allergens that often cause symptoms of asthma and
urticaria in sensitized individuals. The regulation of these preservatives in food products
dictates the development of identification and labeling methods in the manufacture of food
products.
Keywords
: sulfur dioxide, sulfites, preservatives, allergens, allergic diseases.
Relevance of the problem.
Epidemiological studies have shown an increase in food allergies in different countries
of the world, which are global in nature. This condition was caused by changes in the external
environment and nutritional characteristics in subsequent years, the development of new
nutrients, food additives, and preservatives [1].
To date, various food additives are used for preserving, coloring and sweetening,
slowing down the spoilage of products. They are added during the preparation, packaging,
transportation or storage of food and are part of the food. Preservatives promote long-term
food storage, eliminate decomposition, and slow down the rotting process caused by bacteria,
mold, or yeast [14].
Sulfitizing agents such as sulfur dioxide and sodium and potassium salts of bisulfite,
sulfite, and metabisulfite are used as preservatives in food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. It
is known that patients with allergic diseases, including bronchial asthma, often experience
clinical symptoms after eating foods containing sulfonating substances. [8].
Components that can cause allergic reactions or are contraindicated in certain types of
diseases are sulfur dioxide and sulfites. They belong to approved food additives and have
codes from E220 to E228 assigned by the European Union Regulation. Since all food additives
with codes E220-E228 can be converted to sulfur dioxide, sulfites are measured and
expressed as sulfur dioxide. Due to its wide range of applications , sulfites are added to a wide
range of food products (juices, wines, dried fruits, fruit and vegetable products, flour
confectionery and bakery products, seafood, etc.) as preservatives, antioxidants and enzyme
inhibitors that help improve the appearance of food and prevent its discoloration and
reactions of enzymatic and non-enzymatic darkening during processing. processing time and
хproduct hits. The presence of sulfites in food can have a negative impact on human health:
cause breathing problems, stomach irritation, asthmatic and allergic reactions. In many
countries, standards for the content of sulfites in food products are established by law, but
their quantitative rationing and labeling rules differ [2].
Beer, wine, dried, canned, or frozen fruits often contain sulfites, and seafood and fried
potatoes are often prepared using these substances. Sulfites are also present as pollutants in
the atmosphere. The frequency of occurrence of sensitivity to sulfites is unknown, but this
condition is recognized more and more often. Clinical management is based on avoiding
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intense physical activity on days when air pollution is high, and avoiding foods and
medications containing sulfites [6].
Sulfitizing agents, including sulfur dioxide, potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite,
sodium metabisulfite, sodium bisulfite, and potassium bisulfite, are effective antioxidants. As
such, they are widely used as additives in processed beverages and foods, including fruit
juices, soft drinks, wines, beer, cider, vinegar, potato chips, dried fruits, and vegetables. Their
anti-browning properties make them useful for preventing spoilage of commercially prepared
or marketed fresh produce, such as ingredients in salad bars, sauces, seafood (especially
shrimp), fruits and vegetables. Sulfur dioxide also occurs as a common air pollutant [10].
Sulfur dioxide, which is used as a food preservative in the sulfurization of apricots and
several artificial food products, is a common air pollutant, has a strong mutagenicity, and can
cause genetic damage that leads to malignant neoplasms [11].
Studies have shown that the mass fraction of sulfur dioxide in confectionery products is
in wide ranges and can reach up to 1.8 g / kg and, therefore, it should be indicated in the
composition of food products when labeling. Various methods have been developed for the
determination of sulfur dioxide in food. Manufacturers of confectionery products, including
cookies, often do not have information about the content of sulfur dioxide in the raw materials
used and do not assume the presence of this substance in finished products, which leads to a
violation of the requirements of the regulations [3].
Wine is also the most commonly reported trigger of adverse reactions that result from
intolerance to certain components, such as biogenic amines and sulfite additives. Wines
contain histamine, which contributes to allergic reactions, the occurrence of adverse
symptoms, including sneezing, rhinitis, itching, headache and asthma. Sulfite additives are
added to the wine, which can worsen asthma symptoms [12]. Commercial microbes are
currently being studied in winemaking, in particular, with the aim of reducing or replacing the
use of sulfur dioxide [7].
Sulfites are widely used as additives in the food industry due to their antimicrobial,
color-stabilizing, fire-fighting and antioxidant properties. As a result of these pleiotropic
functions, they can be added to a wide range of foods, including dried fruits and vegetables,
seafood, juices, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and some meat products. Taking
sulfites correlates with several adverse and toxic reactions, such as hypersensitivity, allergic
diseases, vitamin deficiencies, and can lead to dysbiotic phenomena in the intestinal and oral
microbiota. In many countries, these additives are strictly regulated, and legislation restricts
their use in meat products [5].
Sulfites can be lost as a result of auto-oxidation, such as when a bag or jar is opened and
exposed to air. Packaging can also affect the level of sulfites, since plastic bottles can cause a
complete loss of sulfites, whereas glass bottles seem to prevent the loss of sulfites [8].
Hence, the lack of enzymatic cofactors may also be a contributing factor. Researchers
have suggested that SO2
2
may have a detrimental effect on the overall detoxification of
xenobiotic compounds, which are usually detoxified by the glutathione conjugation pathway
[9].
The loss of sulfur dioxide during dehydration of vegetables is considered from the point
of view of known first-order reactions in food products andprocesses that are limited by the
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rate of diffusion. There is still insufficient data to suggest ways in which food composition
could be modified to reduce its need for sulfur dioxide during dehydration [13].
Thus, in many regions of the world, sulfites are now among the potential allergens
(along with the likes of peanuts, fish, crustaceans, gluten, and milk) that should be labeled on
food and beverages. In the European Union (EU) and in our country, levels in food and
beverages above 10 mg / kg or 10 mg per litre must be labelled. Warning labels are now
commonplace, but in practice there is still a huge amount of ignorance and misinformation
about the use of sulfites in food, beverages, and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, clinicians
should be aware of the sensitivity to sulfites in order to be able to make a correct diagnosis
and provide treatment recommendations [4].
Conclusions
. Thus, the control of the content of preservatives, including sulfur dioxide
in food is important for the prevention of food allergies, bronchial asthma and other
respiratory and skin allergic diseases.
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