Sulphites have been used for centuries as food additives and they can occur naturally in some foods such as fermented beverages like wine.

They are used in foods for many different reasons. One of the most common reasons is to prevent the browning of food and limit microbial growth. The Food Standards Code in Australia and New Zealand permits the use of sulphites in foods. The sulphite additives can be identified by looking for numbers 220 to 228 on food labels.

Current research into sulphites and allergy like reactions have concluded that for most people, sulphites pose no health risks. They can, however, cause asthma in a small group of sensitive people. If you have asthma, it would be useful to visit an allergy specialist and undergo some testing to determine if sulphites are a problem for you.

Sulphites must be declared on the label if they are present in concentrations greater than 10mg/kg (10 parts per million). No evidence exists to suggest that sulphite sensitive individuals need to be concerned about foods having less than 10mg/kg (Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice edition, 2-Volume Set: Text with Continually Updated Online Reference 6th Edition accessed on 7 August 2007).