Sulfites—A Food and Drug Administration Review of Recalls and Reported Adverse Events

Abstract

Sulfite-sensitive individuals can experience adverse reactions after consuming foods containing sulfiting agents (sulfites), and some of these reactions may be severe. In the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acted to reduce the likelihood that sulfite-sensitive individuals would unknowingly consume foods containing sulfites. The FDA prohibited the use of sulfites on fruits and vegetables (except potatoes) to be served or presented fresh to the public and required that the presence of detectable levels of sulfites be declared on food labels, even when these sulfites are used as a processing aid or are a component of another ingredient in the food. In the present study, data from FDA recall records and adverse event reports were used to examine the current status of problems of sensitivity to sulfites in foods. From 1996 through 1999, the FDA processed a total of 59 recalls of foods containing undeclared sulfites; these 59 recalls involved 93 different food products. Fifty (55%) of the recalled products were classified as class I, a designation indicating that a consumer reasonably could have ingested > or = 10 mg of undeclared sulfites on a single occasion, a level that could potentially cause a serious adverse reaction in a susceptible person. From 1996 through mid-1999, the FDA received a total of 34 reports of adverse reactions allegedly due to eating foods containing undeclared sulfites. The average of 10 reports per year, although derived from a passive surveillance system, was lower than the average of 111 reports per year that the FDA received from 1980 to 1987, a decrease that may have resulted in part from FDA regulatory action.

Effect of Frozen Storage on Polyphenol Oxidase, Antioxidant Content, and Color of Pawpaw (Asimina Triloba [L.] Dunal) Fruit Pulp

“…It has long been known that sulfites are a potent enzymatic browning inhibitor that change PPO structure and therefore irreversibly inhibit PPO activity (Sayavedrasoto & Montgomery, 1986). However, the FDA prohibited the use of sulfites on fruits because of their toxicity so they are not an option to inhibit enzymatic browning in pawpaw pulp (Timbo, Koehler, Wolyniak, & Klontz, 2004), which led to alternatives such as ascorbic acid or thiol-containing compounds (Pilizota & Subaric, 1998).…”

An electrochemical biosensor with nanointerface for lactate detection based on lactate dehydrogenase immobilized on zinc oxide nanorods

“…Sulfites, benzoates, propionates, nitrites and nitrates are the commonly used preservatives for food products [5][6][7]. It has been reported that these chemicals induce adverse effects in human such as stomach cancer and acidity [4][5][6][7]. Due to these adverse effects, lactate is used as a preservative for food products related to meat, poultry and fish [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Sulfites, benzoates, propionates, nitrites and nitrates are the commonly used preservatives for food products [5][6][7]. It has been reported that these chemicals induce adverse effects in human such as stomach cancer and acidity [4][5][6][7].…”

The Effectiveness of Ozone and Acidulant Treatments in Extending the Refrigerated Shelf Life of Fresh‐Cut Potatoes

“…Sulfites are one of the most effective chemical preservatives to inhibit browning; however, the FDA has prohibited the use of sulfites in fruits and vegetables labeled as “fresh” or intended to be served in the raw form (FDA 2011) due to the risk of severe allergic reactions in individuals highly sensitive to sulfites (Timbo and others 2004). …”