The Truth about Sulfites

A friend of mine is allergic to peanuts. It is a problem because peanut-y things are everywhere. And, despite her allergy and another 3.3 million peanut and other tree nut allergy sufferers in the United States, peanuts are allowed in organic food. Of course, they are, you say, what does that have to do with organic food?

Well, sulfite allergies appear to be at the heart of U.S. regulations defining whether wine is or isn’t organic. Added sulfites have become a big issue, and the problem with sulfites isn’t so much that it is an additive. It is. No, it’s really about allergies. Organic food regulations allow 29 different additives while still allowed its “organic” label. Wine is not.

For more than 200 years, sulfites have been keeping our wine from turning into vinegar and becoming microbial. The Europeans, South Americans, Australians and New Zealanders all recognize sulfites’ role in winemaking and allow their inclusion in organic wines, so maybe it’s time we review some sulfite facts:

Fact: Sulfites help wine age like it should.

Sulfites keep wine from turning into vinegar. That’s what winemakers mean when they talk about the stability sulfites give wine. Additionally, sulfites prevent discoloration, oxidation, bacterial growth and further, unwanted fermentation.

Fact. All wine has sulfites.

Even if sulfites are not added to wine, they occur naturally on grape skins, so sulfite allergy sufferers should not drink any wine. In fact, they should also avoid certain foods, which are considerably higher in sulfites than wine, such as dried fruit.

Fact. Wines are not the worst sulfite additive offenders.

Not hardly! In the United States, wines can contain up to 350 parts per million of sulfites. Grape skins naturally contain anywhere from 6-40 ppm already. But that’s just small stuff. Ranging anywhere from 6 to 6,000 ppm, an assortment of foods, including fruits and fruit products, vegetables, processed foods, cheeses, and even prescription drugs pack a much bigger sulfite punch. A two-ounce serving of dried apricots has 10 times the amount of sulfites of a glass of wine.

Fact. Sulfites don’t cause headaches.

If you have a sulfite allergy, you will develop rashes or stop breathing (anaphylaxis) with wine, not headaches. The general rule of thumb regarding headaches and wine is that (1) you are overindulging or (2) you need to drink better wine. Unfortunately, wines that are commercially produced for mass consumption are more likely to add aromas, flavors and other accents that can cause headaches. Those are the more likely headache culprits.

Fact. Only 0.4 percent of the population suffers from sulfite allergies.

That’s true, but sulfites can kill those with allergies, so it can’t be dismissed even though it is rare. To put it in perspective, though, since 1982, at least six people have died from severe, sulfite-triggered asthma attacks in the United States…in restaurants…from sulfite-treated foods. Oops, yes, I said foods. Yes, restaurants with salad bars are sulfites’ best friend as they keep produce looking extra fresh. Sulfites are also used to prevent discoloration in shrimp, raisins and other dried fruit, potatoes and other vegetables. Butchers used to be able to use sulfites to redden up spoiled beef to make it look fresh again, but that is now illegal.

Fact: Sulfites have been in wine for centuries.

For more than 200 years, sulfur has been preserving wine. Europeans pioneered using sulphur dioxide because the freshly pressed grape juice had a tendency to spoil due to contamination from bacteria and wild yeasts on the grape skins. The sulfur dioxide kills and prevents growth of mold and bacteria while also preserving the wine’s flavor and color.

Fact: Organic wine is evaluated differently than organic food.

It really is a shame, but it’s true that the wine industry cannot label its product “organic” even when 95 percent of it comes from organic material – particularly funny when one considers that sulfites occur naturally anyway on grapes. So, is it really that much different from adding sugar to tart fruit? It’s already there—just adding more. Believe it or not, U.S. regulators allow 29 additives to be supplemented to organic food, but still sulfites remain on the sidelines when it comes to organic wine.

Interestingly, this issue could spark a cottage industry for wine preservatives if someone could find a smarter way to keep wine from oxidizing, but so far that hasn’t happened. Most recently, in South Africa, L’Ormarins wine estate in Franschhoek is experimenting with ultraviolet light that kills unwanted microbes and yeasts to keep its wines bacteria- and mold-free. It’s still not on the market, and I’m not sure what this does for minimizing oxidation, but for those who can’t stand the sulfites, it’s possibly hope for a wine-filled tomorrow. For those who prize the great wine that sulfites allow, we hope the regulators will focus more on the real benefits of organically made wine.

Ivy F. Kupec