Allervibe
E226
Calcium sulphite
A calcium salt of sulphurous acid with low water solubility, used as a preservative and antioxidant.
i Additive Details
| Is E226 Calcium sulphite safe?
Sulphites are one of the 14 allergens that must be declared under EU Regulation 1169/2011 whenever they are present above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre expressed as SO2. Sulphite sensitivity is well documented in people with asthma, who may react with wheezing, chest tightness or bronchospasm. Most sulphite reactions are intolerance rather than classical IgE-mediated allergy, although rare IgE-mediated cases have been reported. Because E226 is little used in packaged food, most sulphite exposure comes from wine, dried fruit and crustaceans instead, but the same declaration rule and the same risk to asthmatics apply.
| Uses
Used as a preservative and antioxidant where its poor solubility gives a slower, steadier release of sulphite than the sodium and potassium salts. It has been applied in brewing and cider making and in preserving fruit and vegetable pulp held for later processing. Its permitted uses in the EU are narrow and it is rarely seen on retail labels.
| Interactions
Its low solubility limits how much bisulphite is available at any one moment, so it acts more slowly than the metabisulphites. The calcium it supplies can firm plant tissue by cross-linking pectin and can leave sediment or haze in drinks. Like the rest of the group it binds carbonyl compounds, prevents browning and degrades thiamine (vitamin B1).
| Origin
Made by reacting sulphur dioxide with a suspension of calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate. The same reaction is used industrially to scrub sulphur dioxide from flue gases, but food-grade material is produced to its own purity specification.
| Daily Intake
A group ADI of 0.7 mg per kg of body weight per day, expressed as SO2, applies jointly to E220 to E228 rather than to each salt individually. EFSA's 2022 follow-up to its re-evaluation of the group concluded that the available data are not sufficient to confirm the ADI and that estimated intake can exceed it in some consumer groups.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E222 Sodium bisulphite The sodium salt of hydrogen sulphite, supplied as an aqueous solution and used as a preservative and antioxidant.
- E223 Sodium metabisulphite A white crystalline salt that releases sulphur dioxide in water and is the most widely used sulphite preservative.
- E224 Potassium metabisulphite The potassium form of metabisulphite, used mainly as a preservative and antioxidant in wine and cider.
- E227 Calcium bisulphite A calcium sulphite that exists only in solution, used as a preservative and antioxidant.
- E228 Potassium bisulphite A potassium sulphite supplied as an aqueous solution and used as a preservative and antioxidant.
- E210 Benzoic acid A weak organic acid used as a preservative against yeasts, moulds and some bacteria in acidic foods.
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