You’ve seen the warning “Contains Sulfites” and probably heard someone say that nthey can’t drink wine becuase it gives them headaches – and blame it on sulfites. If they are so bad, why do winemakers add sulfites?
Well, here’s the scoop:
Sulfites are a naturally occurring salt compound found in many dried fruit, juices, and foods. Sulfites prevent browning or discoloration in food like baked goods, condiments, potatoes and shrimp. In wine making, sulfites are added to protect it against spoilage or bacteria / microbes. Very simply, sulfites help preserve wine and slow chemical reactions, which cause a wine to go bad. Because winery hygiene has improved so much in recent years, the use of sulfites has declined in general.
Sulfites cause very severe allergic reactions to those who are sensitive, thus the FDA requires that sulfites be disclosed on wine labels if they could be detected at a level of 10 mg/L or higher. Wine ranges from about 5 mg/L (5 parts per million) to about 200 mg/L. The maximum legal limit in the United States is 350 mg/l. A dry red wine typically has about 50 mg/l sulfites.
Sulfites are not always the cause of a wine drinker’s headaches. The cause of wine headaches varies from person to person. Many people only get headaches from red wine, yet white wines tend to have more added sulfites added. The reality is that it has to do with histamines and all sorts of other complex organisms that grapes carry on their skins.
Sulfites are naturally occurring compounds that are a product of fermentation, so ALL wines have some sulfites since they’re made with yeast. Some natural or low intervention wine makers are extremely judicious on the use of sulfites in their wines and keep the levels very minimal. So, while it’s impossible to buy wine that’s totally sulfite-free, low-sulfite wines do exist. Look for bottles that say “no sulfites added” on the label, or choose organic wines, which are required to be made without added sulfites.
If you have headaches from wine, it may or may not be sulfites. There are many other casues, so make sure to see a doctor if the symptoms persist.
Very simply, sulfites help preserve wine and slow chemical reactions, which cause a wine to go bad.
