Safety evaluation of certain food additives - ipcs inchem

SULFITES: ASSESSMENT OF DIETARY EXPOSURE 259
g. United Kingdom
Beverages Sulfite concentration (mg sulfur dioxide/l)
Samples (n) Range Mean
Lemon and lime juices 8 20–348 213
Orange and lemon barley water with more than 2.5% barley 2 251–256 254
Concentrates based on fruit juice (dilutable squashes with and without added sugar) 65 6–268 120
Food group Sulfite concentration (mg sulfur dioxide/kg)
Samples (n) Positive samples(n) Range in positive samples
Minced meat 1274 26 # 19 # –1050 #
# Positive analytical determination suggests that an illegal use of sulfites occurred.
National legislation: The Miscellaneous Food Additives Regulations (United Kingdom Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food et al., 1995).
Source of analytical data for soft drinks: Food Standards Agency (2004).
Note: Three categories of soft drinks were analysed: 1) concentrates based on fruit juice (squashes), 2) lemon and lime juice and 3) concentrates based
on fruit juice containing not less than 2.5% barley (barley waters). Samples were collected between 2003 and 2004 from five regions in the United
Kingdom. The levels of sulfites in all the tested samples were within the statutory limits: 350 mg/kg for lime and lemon juice and barley waters and 250
mg/kg for other concentrates based on fruit juice. The samples were analysed through an in-house United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
accredited method (TM195) based on the modified Monier-Williams method.
Source of analytical data for “minced meat”: Mackie (2005).
Note: Samples of minced meat were collected from 2000 to 2002 by environmental health officers. Analysis was carried out to determine the fat content,
sulfur dioxide and meat species using validated and UKAS-accredited test methods. Overall, 26 samples were found to contain sulfites, indicating an
illegal addition of sulfites: 25 were “lean beef minced meat”, and 1 was “minced pork, lamb/mutton and poultry meat”. Prior to 1977, the regulations in
force in Scotland allowed minced meat to contain up to 450 mg sulfites/kg during the months of June, July, August and September. The current
regulations do not permit the addition of sulfites to minced meat. However, owing to the original dispensation, the non-permitted addition of sulfur dioxide
to minced meat has continued to occur occasionally.