Listing of Sulfites in Ingredients

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Created on 01, February, 2010

A Web article on little-known facts about nutrition labels states that sulfites don’t need to be declared in a product’s ingredients. 

Not exactly. A sulfiting agent that “has no technical effect in that food will be considered to be present in an insignificant amount only if no detectable amount of the agent is present in the finished food. A detectable amount of sulfiting agent is 10 parts per million or more of the sulfite in the finished food” (pursuant to 21CFR101.100 of U.S. food labeling regulations; emphasis added). Wines, beers and spirits containing 10 ppm or more of sulfites also must declare them. Note: 10 ppm is very small. Naturally-occurring sulfites in grapes cause most wines to have at least 10 ppm even when sulfites are not added. Sulfites in food products range up to 6000 ppm.