Sulfites are a sulphurous acid (including sulfur dioxide) that have been used for over 2,000 years in food and drink processing. Sulfites are primarily used as preservatives, sanitary agents and food color preservatives. They are also used to bleach foods like corn and potatoes, in pharmaceuticals and are often sprayed on grapes that are used for wine. Many foods you typically find in salad bars have been processed with sulfites. Twenty years ago the Food and Drug Administration noted that 1% of the United States were allergic to sulfites, and required wine labels to place warning labels on bottles that contain sulfites.
The FDA has estimated that 1 in 100 individuals in the United States are sensitive to sulfites, and that up to 5% of these people are sulfite allergic. Reactions can range from mild rashes, headaches and cramping to life threatening reactions such as anaphylactic shock. People with asthma, previous allergies, or a deficiency of the liver enzyme sulfite oxidase react the most to sulfites. Asthmatics are especially susceptible, and should carry their inhalers and epipens with them when dining outside the home. Sulfite reactions have killed at least 13 people in the United States alone.
Be careful to read labels, looking for ingredients that may contain sulfites. By law, the manufacturer must place a sulfite warning label on the product ONLY if it contains 10 parts sulfite per million or greater.
