What are the "Sulfites" that are in wine?? And why do they add it in???!
What are the "Sulfites" that are in wine?? And why do they add it in???
Answers:
Sulphites are a vital part of the winemaking process and contrary to some other answers, are found more in white wines than reds. Sulphites and their derivatives are used for:
- sterlization of equipment used in winemaking
- to kill off excess yeast that that may continue to promote fermentation after the wine is bottled.
- as a chemical pesticide in the vineyard (copper sulphite)
- as a preservative in wine (especially white wines) to prevent premature oxidation.
White wines generally have higher levels of sulphites ( see premature oxidation above) as tannin levels in red wines offer similar protection against oxidation. Sulphour levels in wine do vary widely based on individual winemaker's techniques but can never be eliminated as sulphour is also a chemical by-product of the grape fermentation process.
it is a preservative.
Sulfites or sulfur dioxide is a fruit preservative widely used in dried fruits as well as wine. It is also produced by the human body at the level of about 1000 mg (milligrams) per day. Consumption of food preserved with sulfites is generally not a problem except for a few people who are deficient in the natural enzyme to break it down. For these people, the additional sulfites from food can be a problem. There are reports of severe and life threatening reactions when sulfites were added at erroneously and enormously high levels (100 times what was supposed to be used!) on salad bar vegetables. I have found two reviews of the medical effects of sulfites-unfortunately I could find neither on-line as they appear to be too old. They should be available at medical school libraries.
AF Gunnison and DW Jacobsen, Sulfite hypersensitivity. A critical review. CRC Critical Review in Toxicology, 17: 185-214 (1987). CRC Journals
R.K. Bush, S.L. Taylor and W. Busse, A critical evaluation of clinical trials in reactions to sulfites, J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 78:191-202 (1986). J. Allergy Clin Immunol
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Sulfites occur naturally, and are also added to prolong the "life" of the wine. Without them, wine would go bad rapidly.
Type of sulpher that prevents damage to wine by oxygen (helps prevent absorption of oxygen), and prevents the growth of microbes. No wine is free of sulphites it is a naturally occurring compound.
Wine has them in naturally. They are worse in red wine which would lead me to believe that they are found in the skins of the grapes used to make the wine. If you are sensitive to sulfites try white wines.