Food additive databasePreserves color and qualityChecked 2026-09-27
Sulfites 亜硫酸塩
Food additiveStricter rules abroad
- Purpose
- prevents oxidation, bleaches
- On the label
- “酸化防止剤（亜硫酸塩）” (antioxidant (sulfites)), “漂白剤（次亜硫酸Na）” (bleaching agent (sodium hyposulfite))
Flagged additives are marked when you use the Ingredient Checker (choose others).
In Japan
- The “酸化防止剤（亜硫酸塩）” (antioxidant (sulfites)) on wine is this. It is also used in raisins, dried gourd strips (kanpyo), and so on.
- Hypersensitive reactions have been reported in some people with asthma.
Under stricter rules abroad
Category: Stricter rules abroad
- The EU treats sulfites as one of the allergens. Foods containing more than 10 mg per kg (or per L) as sulphur dioxide must label them prominently as an allergen (EU Regulation 1169/2011).
Substances labeled this way
Related pages
Sources
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) (Japanese)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011 (EUR-Lex)
Last checked 2026-09-27. Rules change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
The categories are not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies.