Sulphites (E220 to E228): Wine, Dried Fruit and the Skin

Preservatives in wine, dried fruit and processed foods that can trigger flushing, hives and itching.

What sulphites are

Sulphites are a family of preservatives and antioxidants used to stop food browning, kill bacteria and keep colour bright. On a label they run from E220 (sulphur dioxide) through to E228, and include sodium metabisulphite (E223) and potassium metabisulphite (E224). They have been used for centuries in winemaking and food preserving, which is why wine and dried fruit are the classic sources.

Who reacts, and how it shows on the skin

Most people tolerate sulphites with no trouble. A sensitive minority react, and on the skin that usually means flushing, hives (urticaria) or itching, sometimes within minutes of a sulphite-rich food or drink. People with asthma are more likely to be sulphite-sensitive, and people with chronic hives often find sulphites are one of several things that tip them over the edge rather than the sole cause. It is a sensitivity reaction rather than a classic food allergy, and it tends to be dose-related: a small amount may be fine when a large glass of wine is not.

Where sulphites hide

The usual suspects are wine and beer, dried fruit (those bright golden apricots are a giveaway), and processed foods such as packet mashed potato, some sausages and burgers, pickled foods, bottled lemon and lime juice, and some soft drinks. In the UK and EU, sulphites above 10mg/kg must be declared, so check the ingredients and the allergen statement; wine labels often carry “contains sulphites”.

What to do if you think you react

Note what you ate or drank and when your skin flared, and look for a pattern over a couple of weeks rather than cutting everything at once. Lower-sulphite swaps, fresh fruit instead of dried, lower-sulphite wines, freshly squeezed juice, can help you test the link. If reactions are frequent or severe, or ever involve wheezing or trouble breathing, see a GP or allergist, because sulphite reactions can affect the airways as well as the skin.

Check it against your own list

A free scanner like Yuka gives a packaged product a general health score, which is a useful broad read, though that verdict is the same for everyone rather than tuned to your skin. Fig is genuinely good for managing a defined eating pattern. To check a product against the specific things that make your skin react, a personal-list app like ClearaScan lets you save your triggers once and scan any product, food, medication or cosmetic, against your ingredient guard list, flagging only yours. It also keeps a Reaction Journal so you can tie a flare back to the product that caused it, a shared Care Circle so family can scan for you, and a Trusted Products list. It is currently in early access. (Disclosure: our editor co-founded ClearaScan, and we are not paid to mention the others.)