How To Live With an Allergy to Sulfites

People with an allergy to sulfites (about 1% of the population), are often asthmatic. For 10% of asthma suffers their allergy is exasperated by their allergy to sulfites. Symptoms of a sulfite allergy are often similar to an asthmatic attack, even resulting in anaphylactic shock. However, sometimes the symptoms are more typical of a food allergy, i.e., headache, hives, swelling, etc. According to the FDA, a person can develop a sulfite allergy at any age and, if suspected, it is important to have an allergist perform testing to confirm the diagnosis. As in any food allergy, the best treatment for a sulfite allergy is avoidance, but this can prove difficult.

Sulfites are naturally occurring in some foods (they are made naturally during the fermentation of wine), but are most commonly present as a preservative in processed foods. As an aid to people with a sulfite allergy and in part because of deaths attributable to sulfite allergies, the FDA now requires sulfite labeling when sulfur dioxide or sulfite is detected at a level of 10 ppm or higher measured as total sulfur dioxide (the gaseous form of a sulfite). A sulfite allergic person should look for words containing "sulfite". The FDA has also forbidden sulfites from being added to foods intended for raw consumption (the salad bar rule?). For wines, the United States and the European Union, require that wines bottled after 1987 must be labeled if they contain 10 ppm or more of sulfites.

One internet site listed more than 90 foods containing sulfites. The FDA is also a useful resource. A partial list includes:

• baked goods
• soup mixes
• jams
• canned and dehydrated vegetables and fruits
• pickled foods
• potatoes
• beer
• wine
• bottled fruit juices
• condiments
• cereals
• chocolate bars
• molasses
• fresh or frozen shrimp
• hot dogs
• sausages
• shellfish
• tomatoes

With a sulfite allergy, it is imperative to check labels. Eat in restaurants with care; some restaurants include antigen notices on their menus, but ask about dish ingredients and food source. For example, are there originally dried tomatoes in that sauce?

Ironically, for an asthmatic with an allergy to sulfites, sulfites are present in certain medicines as a preservative. Most notable is epinephrine. However, the benefits of epinephrine far outweigh any effect of sulfites.

Finally, any person with an allergy to sulfites, particularly an asthmatic, should wear an appropriate medical ID bracelet. If recommended by your doctor keep rescue medications (such as epinephrine) accessible at all times.