Sulfur dioxide in wine (what is the function of sulfur dioxide in wine?)
As people pay more and more attention to food nutrition and safety, more and more consumers like to study food labels. Many wine lovers have discovered that almost all wines are labeled “contains sulfur dioxide”. Why does this “toxic and harmful chemical substance” appear in high-end wine?
Sulfur dioxide is a preservative with antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The reason why such delicious wine can be tasted is precisely because of the effect of sulfur dioxide. Most of the wine is brewed with sulfur dioxide to keep fresh and preserve. With sulfur dioxide, wine can be stored for a long time and taste great.
In ancient times, when some wine merchants transported wine, due to the long distance and time-consuming, the wine was often oxidized and turned sour. Some winegrowers discovered that they could keep the wine from spoiling if it was stored in oak barrels smoked with sulfur candles. The use of sulfur dioxide in wine has a history of at least hundreds of years, and the production technology has developed to this day, and no better substitute has been found. So, no matter how skeptical people may be about sulfur dioxide, it is still widely used in the wine industry.
The role of sulfur dioxide in wine;
1. Selective sterilization, kill the bacteria carried by the grape itself, and prevent microbial contamination.
2. Grapes can be kept fresh before the juice is squeezed out and not fermented.
3. Prevent the oxidation of polyphenols, tannins, pigments and other substances.
4. Keep the acidity of the wine stable.
5. Stabilize the color of the wine and speed up the clarification process.
Is sulfur dioxide in wine harmful to our health?
There are enzymes in the human body that can break down this substance, so don’t worry too much about sulfur dioxide. Only excess will cause harm to the human body. However, the content of sulfur dioxide has always been an item that needs to be strictly monitored in wine testing by Youyou Resource Network. Each country has its own laws and regulations regarding the maximum addition of sulfur dioxide in the winemaking process. According to national standards, the sulfur content of imported wine or domestic wine must not exceed 250mg/L, and the sulfur content of sweet wine is 400mg/L, which is stricter than the EU standard. In this range, 99% of people are safe. However, such a large amount of sulfur dioxide is not actually required to achieve the desired function. The average wine test statistics in the United States is around 100ppm (1ppm = 1mg/kg = 1mg/L).
It is generally believed that it is safe for adults to consume less than 800mg~900ml of sulfur per day. However, some people are “sensitive” to sulfur dioxide, similar to other food allergies. According to the statistics of the United States, this “partial population” is about 1% of the general population, and about 5% of asthmatic patients. Different people need different amounts of “sensitive symptoms”, the symptoms are generally nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, shortness of breathDifficult to wait. , and even life-threatening.
In fact, the application of sulfur dioxide is very extensive. They are found in a variety of dried vegetables and fruits, nuts, vegetable juices, juices and wines. So let’s not worry about it. How can I resist the current wine?