A review of sulphites in foods: analytical methodology and reported findings

Sulphites in various forms have been added to foods for centuries. Their use became an issue of concern when certain sensitive individuals exhibited adverse reactions to sulphite residues in foods. Analytical methods were developed to monitor these compounds at the regulatory limit of 10 ppm. In this report, analytical methods for determining sulphites in foods are reviewed, along with a critique of their chemistry and procedural schemes. An assessment of the key features of each method category is presented together with some comparative data. The classification scheme used is based upon the fact that determination of the sulphite content of a food is influenced more by the treatment and cleanup of the test solution than by the final determinative step. Based on a 60-year database, the Monier-Williams procedure still remains the method of choice.