Sodium Bisulfite

Preservatives

  • Potentially Harmful

Definition

A chemical sulfite used as a preservative. Sulphites are used to prevent the browning of foods, as bleaching agents, as dough conditioning agents, to prevent excess alkalinity of foods, as food processing aids, color stabilizers and antioxidants.

Health Impact

Sulfites can inhibit the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, with this damage leading to other diseases. Some people are sensitive to sulfites and can have serious reactions to them ranging from wheezing to potentially life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. As a result, sulfites should be avoided by anyone with a sulfite allergy or sensitivity. People with asthma have between a 1 in 20 to 1 in 100 chance to having a sulfite reaction.

Sources