Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a pungent odor (if there is a chemical element in the air, masks must be worn so that it does not get into the lungs and mucous membranes), which is actively used as a preservative in food production and in cooking. Sulfur dioxide has the following chemical formula – SO2. Many manufacturers often use the name E220 during the product labeling period. Also on the labels of various products you can find other names of the preservative – sulfur dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid, sulfites. This preservative is perfectly soluble in sulfuric acid, in ethanol and in ordinary water.
The use of sulfur dioxide in food production
Why is sulfur dioxide added during the production of a variety of products.
E220 (sulfur dioxide) is actively used in the production of meat products, as well as in the process of harvesting fruits and vegetables, in the production of various drinks, including wine. Wine production is the most popular use of sulfur dioxide. In the production of meat products, E220 is used to process meat – it prevents the appearance of bacteria on raw materials. Sulfites have a minor side effect – they do not allow the color of the meat to change, and buyers cannot truly assess the freshness of the product. In the process of harvesting fruits and vegetables, the E220 preservative is used as an intermediate preservative, it is used to process fruits and vegetables before direct processing. Therefore, after processing, the finished product will contain a minimum of E220 and bacteria. Sulfurous acid is often used to process dried fruits, in order to better preserve and acquire a presentation.
Before direct transportation, almost all types of citrus fruits are processed with this preservative. It is also worth remembering that the production process of a variety of soft drinks and beer is also not complete without the use of sulfur dioxide.
The use of a preservative in the production of juices prevents the development of mold and acetic acid bacteria during storage.
Sulfur dioxide as a prophylactic agent is actively used for processing warehouses with fruits and vegetables, for cleaning containers used to store a variety of drinks and wines.
Also, this type of preservative can often be found in sweets, especially if sweets are filled with fruit (allows you to reduce the number of bacteria and increase the shelf life of the product). Some pure water suppliers add a preservative to it. E220 in water reduces the number of harmful and pathogenic microorganisms. But it is important to pay attention to the amount of sulfites in water and other products, since these chemical compounds can harm the body when taken in large doses.
Sulfur dioxide in wine
The fact that sulfur dioxide is actively used in the process of making wines is probably known to everyone, and there is nothing surprising in this. To date, only expensive, so-called biodynamic wines are free of sulfites. Wine without sulfur dioxide is more expensive and has a shorter shelf life. Why is there E220 in wine? The use of a preservative in the initial processes prevents oxidation processes, stabilizing the microflora of the wort. If you use this supplement in acceptable norms, it will not have an adverse effect on the body. For some reason, many wine lovers are sure that the headache that appears after drinking this drink is provoked by the E220 preservative. This theory can be considered true only if a large dose of preservative was used during the production of the drink.
Today, the rate of sulfur dioxide in wine is three hundred milligrams per thousand milliliters of wine. Those manufacturers who set themselves the goal of satisfying the consumer try to add a maximum of two hundred / two hundred and fifty milligrams of preservative per kilogram to their products.
Sulfur dioxide does not affect the taste of the drink.
Sulfur dioxide – harm
No one hides the fact that E220 (sulphurous gas) is a chemical type compound with a third hazard class. Let’s take a closer look at the effect of preservative E220 on humans. In people who are most sensitive to a variety of preservatives, when using a large dosage or with frequent use of products with the presence of E220, a wide variety of side effects may appear, among which it is worth noting: heaviness in the stomach, migraine, diarrhea, slow speech, allergic rhinitis, pulmonary edema in the acute stage, nausea, dizziness, severe allergic cough, suffocation, vomiting with bile, etc. The preservative sulfur dioxide has another rather serious side effect – the destruction of proteins and vitamin B1 in the body.
Asthma sufferers need to be as careful as possible when choosing foods containing sulfites, as well as foods that have been pre-treated with this preservative, as this chemical compound can cause serious allergic reactions. You should, immediately before making a purchase, study the label as carefully as possible, in particular pay attention to the composition from the manufacturer. Before eating sulfide-treated fruits, vegetables or dried fruits, they must be thoroughly washed under running water. Then put in a container of water (ninety-five to one hundred degrees Celsius) and hold there for five to ten minutes. It is using hot water that you can quickly and without additional costs carry out the desulfurization procedure (very often this method is used in production). There is a mass (norm) of the amount of sulfur dioxide (taking into account frequently consumed products) – one hundred milligrams per kilogram of the product (daily norm). If you do not exceed the specified norm, E220 will not have a negative effect on the human body.