What are Sulfites? The Sulfite we will deal with is Sulfur Dioxide because that is what is used in wine. There are many types of Sulfites that get lumped into that name however. According to the EPA "Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is one of a group of highly reactive gasses known as “oxides of sulfur.”. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Sulfur Dioxide ".... is produced from the burning of fossil fuels (coal and oil) and the smelting of mineral ores (aluminum, copper, zinc, lead and iron) that contain sulfur. It is a liquid under pressure and dissolves in water quickly. Once dissolved, it reacts with the water to form new compounds called Sulfites. According to the California Department of Pesticide Information " when Sulfur Dioxide is used to sanitize corks, barrels and equipment, the compound is legally classified as a pesticide". Not only is it a pesticide but it is also a federally restricted pesticide. Prior to going to print with this article there was an article that came out. According to the South Jersey Times newspaper in a article dated January 8, 2014 which you can find at(http://www.nj.com/gloucestercounty/index.ssf/2014/01/schools_sheltered_dep_testing_for_sulfur_dioxide_following_paulsboro_refinery_incident.html) "Schools sheltered, DEP testing for sulfur dioxide following Paulsboro refinery incident". According to the article there was a fire at the REFINERY and Sulfur Dioxide was released into the air. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica Sulfur Dioxide is an "inorganic compound, a heavy, colourless, poisonous gas. It is produced in huge quantities in intermediate steps of sulfuric acid manufacture". Did you read Sulfuric Acid? There are natural Sulfites and man made Sulfites. Sulfiting agents include Sulfur Dioxide which include the following.
1) Potassium Pyrosulfite: Potassium Pyrosulfite is a white crystalline powder with a pungent Sulfur odor. The main use for the chemical is as an antioxidant or chemical sterilant. It is a disulfite and is chemically very similar to Sodium Metabisulfite, with which it is sometimes used interchangeably. Potassium Metabisulfite is generally preferred out of the two as it does not contribute sodium to the diet.
2) Sodium Sulfite: Sodium Sulfite also known as Sodium sulfite Heptahydrate. According to the company Solvay, Sodium Sulfite is ".....a white, granular or powdered solid. It is used in the pulp and paper industry, in the photographic industry to keep developer solutions from oxidizing and to wash fixer from film and photo-paper, in the textile industry asa bleach, desulfurizer ordechlorinator and in the tanning of leather". Some amount of Sodium Sulfites are naturally in wine. It prevents bacterial growth and the browning of exposed foods. It also prevents the growth of undesirable microorganisms during fermentation (wine) and food processing. The Sulfites used in wine-making are also a residue of natural gas & petroleum crude.
3) Sodium Bisulfite: Sodium Bisulfite which is a combination of Sodium, Hydrogen, Sulfur and Oxygen. It is also called Sodium Hydrogen Sulfate, and is classed as a Sulfite, or Sulfur-based chemical. Its natural form is a white crystalline powder, but turns yellow in solution. It is acidic, considered corrosive, and is a powerful reducing agent used in water treatment, textile dye preparation and film development".
4) Sodium Metabisulfite: Sodium Metabisulfite in the pure form may cause an allergic, asthma-type reaction, skin causing redness, itching and pain. Ingesting pure sodium metabisulfite irritates your gastrointestinal system as it reacts with acid in your stomach by releasing sulfurous acid. Ingesting high amounts may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pains, circulatory disturbance and central nervous system depression.Inhalation of sodium metabisulfite irritates your respiratory tract. Symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. In some individuals.
Do Sulfites cause headaches? The answer is we don't know. According to Annie Arnold, owner of The Organic Wine Exchange "People often blame Sulphur, when in reality there are a host of other issues that may contribute to headaches. Experts say more study is warranted, and that there is dissent, however a lot of research suggests that the headache culprits might be histamine and Tyramine, other chemical substances that are naturally present in wine. Histamine dilates blood vessels and Tyramine first constricts then dilates blood vessels — ouch! By the way Riesling (I like) is one of the higher Tyramine containing wines. Dan L. Keiller, president of the newly formed Medical Wine Interest and Education Society in San Diego, says several studies from Europe show that “red wines, in general, contain more Histamine than Champagnes or Sparkling wines and those usually contain more Histamine than [still] white wines, indeed headaches from red wine are so common that the phenomenon has its own name, “RWH Syndrome”-that’s “red wine headache.” But, Dr. Keiller goes on to add, “Histamine content does not correlate consistently with color, bouquet or taste characteristics of the wine.” There is even thought that the wood that the wine is fermented in may cause headaches. Lets also not forget that we are drinking a lot of sugar when we drink most alcohol. I think the most common reason for headaches is overdose. To keep this debate going though I'll leave you with this. Sulfites can cause allergy and asthma symptoms, but they don’t cause headaches,” says Frederick Freitag, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago and a board member of the National Headache Foundation. There is a belief that people might actually be the cause of the headaches often blamed on Sulfites.
Why the heck is Sulfur dioxide in my wine? It's primary purpose in wine is to act as a preservative and antioxidant. It is supposedly there also to preserve wine quality and freshness. Sulfur Dioxide is also added to kill the yeast and to stop fermentation at a specific point and to prevent discoloration
Do we need Sulfur Dioxide in my wine? The answer is NO. and they might also be dangerous. There are organic wines that do not have any Sulfites other that the small amount that naturally occurs and yet they maintain very well. The fact is that aside from organic grapes being grown without synthetic pesticides they are also not preserved with Sulfur Dioxide. Did you know that Alcohol itself is a natural preservative? I've even heard of chilling the wine in the vat to cause the suspended yeast to precipitate to the bottom, then drawing off the clarified wine from the top. Is it harder to find wine that has no Sulfites, yes but it is a growing market. Here is a link http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/ that you might find interesting. According to WebMD, the FDA estimates that one out of 100 people are sensitive to Sulphur compounds. If you've ever gotten a reaction after eating dried fruit, which often contains sulfur as a preservative, then you may be among those who are sensitive to Sulphur in varying degrees. This could be anything from intolerance to allergic reactions. There are even instances of people dying due to being allergic to Sulfites and having Asthma. According to Paul Frey of Frey Vineyards http://www.freywine.com/no-sulfites-added.html "for most of wine's eight-thousand year history it was made without any synthetic additives at all. Sulphur Dioxide is a relatively new industrial ingredient in the history of wine. He goes on to say "Sulfite is a nonessential preservative. It has never been allowed as an additive in any food or wine that carries the USDA organic seal. By using alternative organic methods, food processors and winemakers do not need to use sulfur dioxide". Wine makers claim that Sulfites help preserve the wine however Paul Frey claims if a wine is made and stored correctly it can last for a long time without any issues. By the way white wines and sweet wines have one of the highest uses of Sulfur Dioxide because they are more prone to Oxidation.
O.k now for my take on this matter. To me it is obvious (once again) that all these chemicals are NOT good for you. If Mr. Frey believes that a good wine can be made without adding chemicals (Sulfites) then I'll go for that. By the way there are more than a few wine makers who do not add Sulfites to their wines. Check out this link http://www.theorganicwinecompany.com/ as well as this one http://wine.about.com/od/wineandhealth/a/Organicwines.htm to find out more. If I could I would stay away from adding chemicals or pesticides (see my previous article) however sometimes it is either not possible or convenient. I hope this article has shed some light on what the label on the back of the wine bottle means. I am curious to know just how many people will change their wine drinking habits because of this article. If I had to guess I would guess that although it is nice to know what Sulfites are we will continue to drink them.Who do I believe? I'll let you know as soon as I drink my newly acquired bottle of Monastery Tvrdos, Cabernet Sauvignon
The Desert Wine Guy
No comments:
Post a Comment