Food preservative sodium sulfite or E221 is a synthetic substance with a pronounced whitening property. A person can consume this substance in an amount not exceeding 0,7 milligrams per 1 kilogram of his body weight per day.
Characteristics of the substance
E221 is a preservative that acts as an antioxidant and often helps to stabilize the color of foods. Despite the fact that sodium sulfite can greatly harm human health, the substance is not prohibited on the list of use in food products either in the EU countries, or in Ukraine, or in Russia.
In appearance, sodium sulfite can be identified by its characteristic powdery state of pinkish or white color, with a slightly pronounced odor and a strong salty cooling aftertaste. The preservative E221 oxidizes very strongly in the open air, it is perfectly soluble in water. It will be much more difficult to dissolve this chemical compound in alcohol, and in fatty oils it will not work at all.
Sodium sulfite is the result of the chemical interaction of sulfur dioxide and sodium carbonate solution. It is a by-product of the production of phenol from benzenesulfonic acid. In the resulting preservative E221 there are a number of impurities, for example, sodium thiosulfates, sulfates and carbonates.
The chemical formula of the substance (Na2SO3) is most often used in the food industry, where sodium sulfite is used as a preservative. This property of the substance makes it possible to qualitatively prevent fermentation, decay and decay of food products, prevents the occurrence of fungus, the reproduction of microorganisms in food.
Such antibacterial properties make manufacturers widely use E221 in the production of many products. In addition, as already mentioned, the substance perfectly stabilizes the color of products and has a bleaching property.
Areas of use
The preservative E221 is used in conjunction with the chemical additive E220 or sulfur dioxide in the food industry to process fresh fruits or vegetables.
The surface of products is treated to prolong their storage, prevent darkening of various areas and slow down the formation of melanoidins. Also, this chemical preservative is included in the composition of frozen or dried foods as a refrigerant.
Many low-sugar confectionery products such as marmalade or marmalade, beer, juices, gelatin, liquid pectin, mushroom and potato products, sausage and salted fish are also better preserved due to the presence of sodium sulfite in their composition. Often this chemical is used as a preservative and in those sweets where the sugar level is too high. Preservative E221 is used for the preparation of seasonings based on lemon juice, canned seafood.
E221 also works well in the wine sector. If sodium sulfite is added to the wine material during the manufacture of wine, acetaldehyde will bind. The result of such processes will be a wine with good color, excellent redox potential and stability at the microbiological level. Also, wines with E221 in the composition are stable in relation to the occurrence of any bacterial changes in them.
In other industries, sodium sulfite is used as a bleach for canvases, as a developer for photographs, as an ingredient in pesticides used in agriculture, and as a means for obtaining non-ferrous metals in the metallurgical industry.
The chemical can be used to produce detergents, deposit chromium in sewer passages, manufacture pharmaceuticals in the medical sector, and manufacture leather, chemical products in other industries.
Negative effect on the human body
If sodium sulfite is used in acceptable (small) doses, the substance will not harm the human body. However, even in such proportions, the substance in rare cases can cause indigestion, asthma attacks. If you use the preservative E221 regularly and in large quantities, then it will begin to destroy the reserves of vitamins E and B1 vital to the body, and also, under the influence of incoming acids, will turn into sulfur dioxide, which affects humans as a carcinogen.
Experts do not recommend the use of sodium sulfite in childhood. This is due to the fact that there is a certain probability of provoking the occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, allergies, kidney failure and other malfunctions in the systems of a fragile organism.