E220 / Preservatives
Sulfur dioxide
Safety in brief
Safe in moderation
Recorded EatMatrix rating, not a new clinical review. The amount, your sensitivities and country rules still matter.
- Watch for
- Sulfite-sensitive people can have allergy-like reactions, including breathing symptoms. Many affected people also have asthma; asthma alone does not establish sulfite sensitivity.
- Selected research
- The paper did not report a statistically significant diabetes association for sulfur dioxide in its main results. This is not proof of no effect, and it does not answer other health or safety questions. Study details and limits.
- Our advice
- Check for sulfites on the label if you have a diagnosed sensitivity. Discuss suspected food-related breathing reactions with your clinician; do not try an oral challenge yourself. A country’s permission or labelling threshold cannot guarantee that a food suits you.
What it is
Sulfur dioxide is a preservative and antioxidant used mainly in dried fruits, wines, and some fruit/vegetable products to prevent browning and inhibit mould, yeast, and bacteria. It is also produced naturally during fermentation of wine at low levels. Food-use permission depends on the country, food and amount. EFSA assesses risk; it does not grant food-use authorisations. Sulfite-sensitive people may react; labelling requirements depend on the market.
Also appears on labels as: Sulfur dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, E220, E 220, E-220, SO2, Sulfurous anhydride, Sulphurous anhydride, Sulfur oxide, Sulphur oxide, Sulfurous oxide, Sulphurous oxide.
Dietary information
- Vegan
- Yes
- Halal
- Yes
- Gluten-free
- Yes
- Allergens
- sulfites
Recorded ingredient information. Check the product label or certification: sources, other ingredients and cross-contact can vary.
Research & body effects
Sulfites: sensitivity and longer-term exposure
What can happen in the body
Sulfite-sensitive people can have allergy-like reactions, including breathing symptoms. Many affected people also have asthma; asthma alone does not establish sulfite sensitivity. Sulfites help preserve food and its colour. Their practical benefit is preservation; that does not make them a nutrient you need to seek out.
FSANZ considers current food levels unlikely to pose a risk to most consumers, while recognising sensitive people and uncertainty in the older daily-intake assessment. EFSA’s European assessment raises concerns at higher estimated intakes. These authorities assessed different exposure data and assumptions.
FSANZ consumer guidance, updated November 2025 · EFSA safety assessment, 2022; corrected November 2025
What changed in the newer EFSA report
EFSA withdrew its temporary daily-intake limit in 2022 because the evidence remained inadequate to set one. The November 2025 correction revised exposure calculations and left that opinion’s conclusion unchanged.
A separate November 2025 report modelled six scenarios using possible changes to food-use limits. It estimated lower exposure in several scenarios. Some calculations also excluded measurements above the proposed limits or suspected illegal uses, so the decrease cannot be read as a measured improvement in people’s health. This was an exposure model, not a new human trial or a legal change.
EFSA exposure update, November 2025. Report methods, discussion and conclusion checked; the separate spreadsheet annex has not been fully reviewed here.
EatMatrix’s reading
Sensitivity, long-term dietary exposure and legal permission answer different questions. Group-level exposure modelling does not prove that this individual salt causes disease. Check for sulfites on the label if you have a diagnosed sensitivity. Discuss suspected food-related breathing reactions with your clinician; do not try an oral challenge yourself. A country’s permission or labelling threshold cannot guarantee that a food suits you.
Clinical guidance on the risks and interpretation of oral challenges.
Selected sources checked . The 2022 opinion’s corrected version was used. Indexed challenge records showed no linked correction or retraction in this check; that is not a complete version audit. Where present, 2026 cohort findings below remain separate. This review does not replace a personal assessment or complete every country’s food-use rules.
What selected 2026 human research means for E220
Type 2 diabetes: what was found
The paper did not report a statistically significant diabetes association for sulfur dioxide in its main results. This is not proof of no effect, and it does not answer other health or safety questions.
The French NutriNet-Santé analysis included 108,723 people and 1,131 new diagnoses, with a median follow-up of 8.05 years. Diets were recorded repeatedly, including food brands. Researchers estimated additive intake and adjusted for factors such as diet, body size and smoking. They did not randomly assign people to eat this additive.
EatMatrix’s reading
This result concerns diabetes. It does not settle sulfite sensitivity, breathing reactions, or the separate question of current permitted uses.
These findings deserve follow-up. Estimated intake, other features of the foods people ate and differences between volunteers can still influence the results. Most participants were women; the results may not transfer directly to children or every country. A proposed mechanism from cells or animals is not a demonstrated mechanism in people eating ordinary food.
A useful next step when choosing food
Compare the whole food: its ingredients, fibre, salt, free sugars, saturated fat and how often you eat it. Choose a varied pattern with more minimally processed foods where practical. Removing one E number alone has not been shown by these studies to prevent diabetes or heart disease.
Selected abstract, main-text methods/results and funding checked . Funders include European and French public research bodies; the authors declare no competing interests. Supplementary tables could not be inspected here, so individual corrected estimates are not reproduced. Indexed records showed no linked correction or retraction in this check; that is not proof none exists. This is a selected editorial review, not a complete clinical or current-country-use assessment. It does not change EatMatrix’s recorded rating or country permissions.
Selected research on E220
How to read study types- Observational studyPreservatives and type 2 diabetes in 108,723 French participants
No statistically significant type 2 diabetes association for sulfur dioxide was reported in the main results. A null result does not establish safety for every use or outcome; this was an observational cohort.
- Dietary exposure estimateEFSA models alternative limits for sulfur dioxide and sulfites
Six scenarios explored possible food-use limits. Several estimated lower exposure, but changes in which measurements were included prevent a simple comparison with 2022. This modelling is neither a human health trial nor a change in law.
- Regulator reviewEFSA follow-up review of sulfur dioxide and sulfites
Industry supplied no new biological or toxicological data addressing the gaps, and the literature did not resolve them. EFSA withdrew its temporary daily-intake limit and raised concern at estimated higher exposures. The November 2025 exposure correction left the conclusion unchanged.
Publisher amendment:
- Regulator reviewEFSA re-evaluation of sulfur dioxide and sulfites
Kept a safe daily limit of 0.7 mg per kg of body weight but made it temporary because the data were limited. Estimated intake was above it in all age groups.
Earlier source summaries checked ; latest additions checked . See the detailed research section for what was read and the remaining limits. This is a selection of sources, not a complete literature review. Authority assessments apply to the uses and places they cover.
Health notes from our ingredient record
- Can trigger asthma-like symptoms (wheezing, shortness of breath) in sulfite-sensitive individuals, including some asthmatics.
- Destroys thiamine (vitamin B1) in food, which is relevant for products relying on that nutrient.
- Must be labelled as an allergen above regulatory thresholds due to documented hypersensitivity reactions.
Other references from our ingredient record
These links come from the original ingredient record. They are separate from the source reviews above and have not all been checked for the exact ingredient, amount consumed or claim. Dates are shown newest first.
- Scientific Opinion on the re‐evaluation of sulfur dioxide (E 220), sodium sulfite (E 221), sodium bisulfite (E 222), sodium metabisulfite (E 223), potassium metabisulfite (E 224), calcium sulfite (E 226), calcium bisulfite (E 227) and potassium bisulfite (E 228) as food additives — EFSA Panel on Food Additives, EFSA Journal (2016). Official EFSA scientific opinion (bibliographic reference, imported 2026-10-13). It covers the additive as a group assessment and is not an individual human study; read the opinion for its findings.
Country rules
Country checks for E220
Permission depends on the market, type of food, amount and conditions. A scientific opinion or an E-number alone does not establish a legal use. These checks are separate from the stored EatMatrix rating.
Compare all eight markets and their sources
| Market | What is checked |
|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1333/2008, Annex II Part B, version , contains the exact code E220: Sulphur dioxide. Listing alone does not allow every food use. Part E food categories, limits, specifications and applicable later acts still need a product-specific check. Source read: . |
| Great Britain | The FSA register record for E220 (Sulphur dioxide) lists “Authorised” in England, Scotland and Wales. Register updated: 01 April 2025; record checked: . Food-specific conditions and specifications still need a separate legal check. |
| United States | Selected US conditions for Sulfur dioxide Official federal text current through ; read . Food uses, limits and exceptionsFood categories excluded by this provision The named sulfiting agent is GRAS under good manufacturing practice, except in meats, foods recognised as a source of vitamin B1, and fruit or vegetables intended to be served or sold raw, or presented to consumers as fresh. This is a scoped restriction, not a ban on every food containing sulfites. What the 10 ppm label rule means An added sulfiting agent with no technical effect in the finished food can qualify for the incidental-additive exemption only when no detectable sulfite remains. The rule defines detectable as 10 ppm (10 mg/kg) or more in the finished food. Added preservatives with a technical effect have their own ingredient-name and function declaration requirements. The 10 ppm figure is a labelling threshold, not a personal safe dose. What a sensitive reader can do FDA notes that sulfites can cause reactions, including asthma symptoms in sensitive people. Read the ingredient list for the named sulfite. If you have a diagnosed sensitivity, follow your care team’s advice rather than treating legal use or the labelling threshold as proof of personal tolerance. EatMatrix’s reading: a legal use condition answers where and how an ingredient may be used. It is not a test of your product, a personal safe intake or a claim that the ingredient benefits your body. Match the named substance, food and amount. Other federal provisions, food standards, state rules and later changes may also apply; this is a selected source review, not a complete product-compliance decision. |
| Northern Ireland | Review pending. Check the applicable EU rules and territory arrangements; the GB register alone does not establish this status. FSA guidance is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
| Canada | Supplied form and food-use provision need matching Health Canada’s sulphite guidance explicitly includes sulphur dioxide among sulphites that can be added to foods. The fresh additive tables use the related name sulphurous acid, with food-specific conditions calculated as sulphur dioxide. This review did not adopt those aqueous-acid rows as an exact gas-preparation match. EatMatrix reading: Confirm the supplied form, food standard and current sulphiting-use provision before assigning a limit. Sulphite labelling and sensitivity advice remain relevant; this is not a conclusion that sulphur dioxide is banned. Name and category review: . This describes the legal source check, not a finding that the ingredient is safe, unsafe or untested. Sources and names checkedNames checked: Sulfur dioxide; Sulphur Dioxide; Sulfur Dioxide. All 15 Health Canada permitted-additive lists were checked by exact name, with the reviewed alternatives above. E-numbers alone are not Canadian ingredient names. The Justice Canada consolidation read was current to 21 September 2026. A complete product decision also requires its composition, specifications, intended food and use, quantities, applicable separate provisions and any later changes. |
| Australia | Permitted in specified foods, subject to limits. The selected Schedule 15 rows include INS 220. Examples, calculated as sulfur dioxide:
These are food concentrations, not daily intake targets. Mixtures of additives serving the same purpose must also meet the Code’s combined-use rule. Other foods, specifications and product conditions need their own check. Label check: added sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more require a declaration using the name “sulphites”. This is a declaration threshold, not a guarantee against an individual reaction or permission to add this substance. Schedule 15, compilation F2026C00407 (2026-04-30); Standard 1.3.1, sections 4 and 6 (2024-09-13); Schedule 9, mandatory declarations (2021-02-25). Latest register versions checked . The joint Code applies in Australia and New Zealand; product-specific provisions still matter. |
| New Zealand | Permitted in specified foods, subject to limits. The selected Schedule 15 rows include INS 220. Examples, calculated as sulfur dioxide:
These are food concentrations, not daily intake targets. Mixtures of additives serving the same purpose must also meet the Code’s combined-use rule. Other foods, specifications and product conditions need their own check. Label check: added sulphites at 10 mg/kg or more require a declaration using the name “sulphites”. This is a declaration threshold, not a guarantee against an individual reaction or permission to add this substance. Schedule 15, compilation F2026C00407 (2026-04-30); Standard 1.3.1, sections 4 and 6 (2024-09-13); Schedule 9, mandatory declarations (2021-02-25). Latest register versions checked . The joint Code applies in Australia and New Zealand; product-specific provisions still matter. |
| Japan | Review pending. The relevant list, identity and use standards need an additive-specific check. CAA food-additive lists is a starting source, not a verified permission for this entry. |
Sources & review status
Check what each source covers: an authority’s conclusion, a research finding and a country’s legal permission answer different questions.
What this guide covers
- Selected research
- 4 source summaries, with publication dates and study types. Several publications may describe the same study population.
- Official assessment reference
- EFSA opinion located for E220. Identity and code coverage checked; full findings review pending.
- Original ingredient record
- 1 research link; newest recorded date: . Sources added separately to this guide are not included in this count.
This guide brings together our ingredient record and the dated sources shown here. Missing information describes a gap in this guide; it does not mean an ingredient is untested, safe or harmful. This is not a complete review of every study, preparation or current country rule. The amount in a product and how it is used still matter.
How to read the ratings, research and country checksAgency labels recorded by EatMatrix
These are imported database classifications, not verified current statements from each authority. Use the dated official sources below for their actual scope and conclusions.
| Authority | Database label |
|---|---|
| FDA | Safe in moderation |
| WHO | Safe in moderation |
| EFSA | Safe in moderation |
| FSANZ | Safe in moderation |
| Japan | Safe in moderation |
| UK FSA | Safe in moderation |
| Health Canada | Safe in moderation |
An official EFSA assessment for E220
An official scientific opinion covering E220 exists. A missing research link or rating in our database does not mean this additive has never been assessed. This reference identifies the document; it does not replace a review of its findings, later research or current food-use rules.
EFSA: Follow-up of the re-evaluation of sulfur dioxide and sulfites (E220–E224 and E226–E228)
- Published
- Publisher amendment
- Codes covered by this reference
- E220, E221, E222, E223, E224, E226, E227, E228
- Source type
- EFSA scientific opinion, not an individual human trial
The publisher records an erratum correcting exposure calculations following re-analysis of analytical data. Use the amended publisher version rather than an older downloaded copy.
EatMatrix checked this reference’s identity and code coverage on . The full evidence review, an exhaustive check for subsequent publications and corrections, and market-specific permissions remain pending. This does not change the recorded EatMatrix rating above.
Database updated: . What does an E number mean on a food label?
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is EatMatrix's recorded rating for E220?
The recorded EatMatrix rating for E220 (Sulfur dioxide) is “Safe in moderation”. It is calculated from labels stored in our ingredient database. These labels are not verified current regulator decisions or country permissions. A database update date is not a scientific review date.
Is E220 vegan, halal or gluten-free?
According to our ingredient data for Sulfur dioxide — vegan: yes, vegetarian: yes, halal: yes, kosher: yes, gluten-free: yes, dairy-free: yes. Manufacturing sources can vary between products; check the label if it matters to you.
What is E220 and why is it used?
Sulfur dioxide is a preservative and antioxidant used mainly in dried fruits, wines, and some fruit/vegetable products to prevent browning and inhibit mould, yeast, and bacteria. It is also produced naturally during fermentation of wine at low levels. Food-use permission depends on the country, food and amount. EFSA assesses risk; it does not grant food-use authorisations. Sulfite-sensitive people may react; labelling requirements depend on the market.
Does E220 contain allergens?
Yes — known allergens associated with Sulfur dioxide: sulfites.
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This page shows information and classifications recorded in our ingredient database. Current scientific and market-specific verification remains pending as described above. It is general information, not medical advice.