Allergy Relief Expert

Sulfites are used as an preservative in just about every wine and heavily processed meat product throughout the world and can cause mild to serious allergic reactions. Sulfites are also used as sanitizing agents and food color preservatives. Sulfites are also suspected to be a carcinogen when heavy consumed but there is still much testing to be done.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that 1 percent of people the United States have a sensitivity to sulfites and up to 5% of these people are considered to be “sulfite allergic.”

Many people who either know they have a sulfite allergy or just wish to avoid sulfite containing products because of their potential health consequences do not fully know how widely used it really is. Like many food related allergens, avoidance is the best strategy to preventing allergic reactions.

Here is a list of the top 15 products which can contain sulfites in addition to wine and processed meats:

1. Canned fruits and vegetables
2. Condiments
3. Dressings
4. Dried fruit
5. Grapes (fresh) – safe in some countries
6. Ketchup
7. Lemon juice/concentrate
8. Lime juice/concentrate
9. Mushrooms (canned or frozen)
10. Pickled foods
11. Pickles
12. Potatoes (dehydrated, frozen french fries, dehydrated, mashed, peeled, pre-cut)
13. Raisins (dried or dedydrated)
14. Soups
15. Vinegar, wine vinegar

by Tony Coturri

Tony Coturri on Sulfites