What Is Sodium Metabisulfite and Why Is It in Food?
Updated on July 31, 2025
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You've probably encountered and consumed many products containing sodium metabisulfite without even realizing it. Food producers often use it in commercial food preservation and winemaking to prevent browning and inhibit bacterial growth.
However, although sodium metabisulfite is a common food additive, it can trigger adverse health effects in some individuals. This article explains the role of sodium metabisulfite and other sulfites in food, as well as how to avoid them if you have a sulfite sensitivity or allergy.
Sodium Metabisulfite in Food
Sodium metabisulfite is a type of sulfite additive. Food producers use it as a preservative and antioxidant to prevent browning and discoloration during food preparation and distribution. They may add it to fresh fruit and veggies, dried fruits, wine, beer, and soft drinks.
Sodium metabisulfite is also common outside of food and beverages. It functions as a general bleaching agent in the textile, pulp, and paper industries. Also, it has uses in the chemical, pharmaceutical, film, and photographic industries, as well as in water and sewage treatment plants.
Sodium Metabisulfite and Your Health
On its own, pure sodium metabisulfite can be hazardous. The powder is highly irritating to the skin and tissue and is toxic if you breathe it in. It's also corrosive when mixed with water.
As a food preservative, sulfites — including sodium metabisulfite — can cause respiratory symptoms for some people, particularly people with asthma. Sulfites can cause wheezing, chest tightness, coughing, sneezing, hives, and a runny nose in 4 to 5 percent of people with asthma, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Some people also experience contact dermatitis, or an allergic skin reaction, after contact with products containing sodium metabisulfite. However, the most common sources of sodium metabisulfite exposure that trigger contact dermatitis are in hair dyes, personal care products, and medications.
These symptoms are more likely to occur if a person's asthma is poorly controlled. And sulfite-related respiratory symptoms can also happen in people with no history of asthma.
The range of sulfite reactions can be quite broad, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, founder of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You From Label to Table.
"[Sulfites may cause] a slight intolerance for one person but a severe allergic reaction for another — they are really vastly different," she advises. "If you have an intolerance to something, you probably could eat a small quantity without it being much of a problem." However, some people may have severe sulfite reactions, including difficulty breathing.
Most sulfite reactions happen due to inhaling the sulfur dioxide generated from sulfite-containing foods or drinks, according to the Cleveland Clinic. For example, beer and wine contain sulfites, and you inhale the sulfur dioxide as you drink.
In very rare cases, sulfites can cause an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. The symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
- Swelling, redness, or warmth in the skin
- Difficulty swallowing
- A fast heartbeat
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Reduce Your Risk
If you live with asthma, the best way to limit the occurrence of disruptive reactions is to control the condition with medications as your doctor prescribes. Avoiding sulfites like sodium metabisulfite, where possible, is another approach for managing sulfite sensitivity.
Though sulfites are common in foods and drinks, there are ways to avoid them if you have a sensitivity. Read food labels and avoid foods that contain the following:
- Sodium metabisulfite
- Sulfur dioxide
- Potassium bisulfite
- Potassium metabisulfite
- Sodium bisulfite
- Sodium sulfite
Sulfites were once much more common in food. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned their use in fresh fruits and vegetables in the 1980s, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This was due to several cases of severe sulfite-induced asthma attacks occurring when people ate green or fruit salads that had included sulfites during processing.
In alcoholic drinks, you can also check the label for sulfites. The Tax and Trade Bureau of the U.S. Treasury requires that alcohol beverage labeling declares the presence of sulfites if the drinks contain them. If you're concerned about sulfites in wine, look for wines that say "no sulfites" or "sulfite-free."
Taub-Dix says it's important for each individual to learn how their body responds to certain foods and additives. However, rather than experimenting with food reactions on your own, if you think you have a food sensitivity or allergy, Taub-Dix advises consulting an allergist or your primary care doctor.
The Takeaway
- Food producers often use sodium metabisulfite as a preservative in foods such as dried fruits and wines, helping to prevent browning and bacterial growth.
- Individuals with asthma may be more susceptible to sulfite sensitivities, which can trigger respiratory symptoms such as wheezing and chest tightness.
- Reading food labels carefully to avoid sulfites and managing asthma with prescribed medications can help prevent adverse reactions to these substances.
- Some individuals might experience severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, so see a healthcare professional if you suspect any adverse effects related to sulfite consumption.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Sooriya JJS et al. Sodium Metabisulfite as a Food Additive: Mechanisms of Action and Health Implications. Journal of Nursing and Patient Health Care. December 30, 2024.
- Sooriya JJS et al. Sodium Metabisulfite as a Food Additive: Mechanisms of Action and Health Implications. Journal of Nursing and Patient Health Care. December 30, 2024.
- Sodium metabisulfite. British Society of Cutaneous Allergy.
- Sodium Metabisulfite. PubChem. July 13, 2025.
- Sulfite Sensitivity. Cleveland Clinic. April 24, 2024.
- Contact allergy to sodium metabisulphite. DermnetNZ. December 2021.
- Sulfite Sensitivity. Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. August 2024.
- Sulfites - USA. University of Lincoln-Nebraska.
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