Sodium sulfite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sodium sulfite - Essay Example 001) Sodium Sulfite is used for preserving meat, sea food, biscuit dough and preventing food discoloration in wines, light colored fruits and vegetables such as dried apples and dehydrated potatoes. According to Magnuson (1997) the definition adopted by the United States government a food additive is "any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result directly or indirectly in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristics of any food." According to this definition any substance that is used in the process of preserving, packaging, storing, treatment and transportation are referred to as food additives. Additives are divided into two categories, direct and indirect. Direct additives are the ones that are added to the food for some particular purpose. Indirect additives are the ones that become part of food during processing, packaging and storing. In that case sodium sulfite comes in the category of direct additives since it is purposely added to the food for preservation and preventing discoloration. According to the Magnuson (1997) additives are used in food for five main purposes. They are for maintaining product consistency, to increase or preserve nutritional value, to preserve palatability and wholesomeness, to provide alkalinity and to improve the flavor or preserving color. Sodium Sulfite is added to the foods as an antioxidant for preservation and preventing discoloration. It acts as an antimicrobial agent in wine making since it does not disturb the development of yeast and inhibits bacterial growth. Its concentration in finished wine is calculated to be up till 6mmol/L (Mitsuhashi et al, 2001). There are certain rules and regulations related to the use of sulfites in food. FDA has disallowed the use of sulfites in foods that are rich in thiamin, for example enriched flour since it destroys the thiamin. In general majority of the people have no problem with the normal consumption of sulfite.