It’s a long-standing myth that the sulfites in wine cause headaches. The reality is that many headaches associated with drinking wine result from dehydration, or failure to drink enough water before consuming wine. While this myth has been busted by scientific research, winemakers must still list sulfites as an ingredient on their labels.
What Are Sulfites?
Sulfites are chemical compounds that contain sulfur. Sulfites are naturally occurring substances found in many different foods, including dried fruits, black teas, eggs, peanuts, and many fermented foods. Sulfites are also commonly used as additives in different types of foods to prevent spoilage, including jellies, sausages, soft drinks, and pickled foods.
Sulfites in Winemaking
Any wine enthusiast knows that good wine takes a long time. Typically, the longer a wine ages, the deeper and more complex its flavor becomes. Winemakers use sulfites to slow the oxidization process and maintain their wines’ freshness. Sulfites also help prevent bacterial growth thanks to their antimicrobial properties.
Most wines contain a sulfite content of about five milligrams per liter up to about 200 milligrams per liter. In the United States, the legal limit for sulfite content is 350 milligrams per liter. For the sake of comparison, a high-quality dry red wine will have about 50 milligrams of sulfites per liter.
Acidic wines generally need lower sulfite content than less acidic wines. The higher the pH level of a wine, the less stable it is and therefore it needs more sulfites to maintain freshness. Wines with higher sugar content also need more sulfites to prevent a secondary fermentation from occurring in the sugar.
Why Must Winemakers Label Sulfites?
Ultimately, sulfites are harmless in small portions, but there is a section of the population that may be sensitive to sulfites. The standards set in the United States for the packaging and sale of food products require manufacturers to list any and all ingredients that may cause food allergies or adverse reactions.
If you are a winemaker who uses sulfites in the production of your wine, it is essential to include this sulfite content information on your wine bottles’ labels. Failure to do so could have your wine products removed from store shelves and may you even incur fines and other penalties. As you design your custom labels for your wine bottles, it’s vital to include all required information so you can sell your products with confidence.
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