| E222 is a food additive
approved by the European Union (EU) and used as an antimicrobial, antioxidant
synthetic
food preservative and bleaching agent in food products.
The common name for E222 is sodium hydrogen
sulphite.
It is also known as sodium bisulphite.
E222 prevents oxidation and helps to preserve flavour,
especially in wines.
E222 also helps slow the ‘browing’ of
canned fruits. As with other sulphurous acid salts, the chemical’s
oxidising effect has the disadvantage of reducing the vitamin content
of the food
containing it.
Added sulphites (E221 – E228) should
be avoided if an individual is intolerant to natural sulphites. Due to
the release of sulphur dioxide,
such chemicals can exacerbate the symptoms of asthma - possibly
bringing about an attack, as well as possibly cause gastric irritation
in some people.
Uses for E222 have also been found in DNA sequencing, for example, on
genes from the liver.
Examples of food/drink products that may include E222:
Wine, canned fruits, frozen shell fish, jams, pickles, vegetables, cider,
fruit squashes and juices.
Note(1) that the list of Food
Additives (E Numbers) included in this section and listed on the left
is subject to change as more chemicals are added by the EU Regulatory
Authorities. IvyRose cannot guarantee that this list complete.
Note(2) These numbers are also used in Australia and
New Zealand but without the E.
Government approvals
and other regulatory details are subject to change.
This
was added on 16 July 2008. If details are important to you, check
with relevant authorities.
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