Sodium pyrosulfite in products: is it safe?

Anyone who does not care about his body knows for sure that proper nutrition and the use of healthy foods are one of the main conditions for maintaining health. When purchasing food and drink in stores, you should carefully examine the labels on the packaging, both on the shelf life and on the presence of unnatural chemicals. Such additives are usually indicated by the code "E".

At once it is necessary to make a reservation, that not always "E" on packing means presence of the substance, pernicious for a human body. So, for example, for the code E330 hides the usual citric acid - one of the most harmless and natural preservatives.

However, the use of the substance in question will not be classified as harmless or natural. Sodium pyrosulfite is a food preservative and antioxidant, actively used by domestic and many foreign manufacturers.

What is it and how does it stand on the package?

Externally a chemical substance with the industrial name of sodium pyrosulfite looks like a powder, white or yellowish and crystalline in shape. This compound is made from sodium carbonate, known to most as soda ash. In itself, this product does not cause fear, and the harmful effect can only be provided on an overdose. Another derivative of sodium carbonate - soda food, is generally actively used in everyday life, as the safest means.

But to produce sodium pyrosulfite, soda reacts at the factory with sulfur dioxide, a gaseous substance with many minuses in terms of impact on the human body. Hence the numerous disputes about the advisability of using sodium pyrosulfite in food production.

In general, the use of this food supplement is not prohibited by law. However, the manufacturer must indicate the presence of this compound in the product. So when buying a product, the buyer is given the right to study the composition of the product and decide whether to buy or not to buy? Sodium pyrosulfite - E223 is indicated.

Why is this food additive used in production?

The logical question: if a product causes so much controversy, then why use it at all? The answer is rather prosaic: it is profitable for the producers themselves.

Sodium pyrosulfite is an excellent preservative, significantly increasing the shelf life of the product. And it's also an antioxidant, baking powder, bleach and, importantly, a color fixer.

What kind of food can be found in E223?

The list of products in which sodium pyrosulfite is legitimately used is impressive. The most common ones are:

• Sausage products.
• Dried, pickled or frozen vegetables and mushrooms, and everything that is made of them. For example, in a frozen semi-finished "French fries" food additive is not only a preservative, but also retains an attractive white color of the product.
• Starches and starch products, including most chips. Here there is an exception: E223 is forbidden to use in products for baby food.
• Frozen or processed berries and fruits, including juices, jellies, jams, jams, syrups and the like.
• Confectionery, sweets, marmalade, gelatin.
• Alcoholic beverages( wine and beer) and soft drinks( lemonades, non-alcoholic wines, etc.).
• Boiled shrimp and other cephalopods.

Of course, the list is not complete. Moreover, the substance is used not only in food, but also in the pharmacological and cosmetic industries.

What is harmful for the human body?

As already mentioned, sodium pyrosulfite is produced by exposure to sulfur dioxide, a substance that destroys vitamin B1 when ingested. Nutritionists do not wrongly call B1 or tianin a "vitamin of harmony" - it actively participates in the process of metabolism, besides thiamine supports the work of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and heart.

Also E223 is highly toxic. In addition, the likelihood of disruption of work and the occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract is great. Excessive use of sodium pyrosulfate can lead to eye diseases.

It is especially worth noting the high likelihood of an allergic reaction caused by products containing sodium pyrosulfite. The harm that can cause the use of this chemical is dangerously underestimated. Especially when it comes to the child's body.

It can be argued that the legislation of Russia, the European Union, Belarus and other countries does not prohibit the use of E223, and therefore the product does not present a serious danger. Here it should be noted that there are many countries in which ban on sodium pyrosulfite is banned. The final conclusions about the use of products with E223, of course, have to be made to the consumer.