What is the effect of adding sulfur dioxide to wine?

When friends and family get together, many people choose to drink wine. If you are careful, you may find that most wine bottles have the words " sulfur dioxide " on their labels.

When talking about sulfur dioxide, the first thing that comes to mind is "acid rain" and "air pollutants". How does it appear in wine? Let's find out together.

The role of sulfur dioxide in wine

Sulfur dioxide is a widely used food additive, commonly used as a bleaching agent, preservative and antioxidant.

Sulfur dioxide in wine is also used as a food additive. Of course, due to process reasons, sulfur dioxide is not necessarily added in the form of gas, but can also be its equivalent derivatives - various sulfites, pyrosulfites, bisulfites, etc. They can play a similar role to sulfur dioxide, and their usage is still calculated as sulfur dioxide.

Sulfur dioxide has been added to wine for hundreds of years. The reasonable and appropriate use of sulfur dioxide can have a positive impact on the quality of wine and effectively prevent wine from spoiling, becoming sour, and changing color. The main effects include:

(1) Kill the bacteria on the surface of raw grapes. (2) Control the degree of fermentation and retain the sugar in the wine.

**** (3) Utilize its reducing property to prevent polyphenols, tannins and other substances in wine from oxidizing and deteriorating , and ethanol from oxidizing and turning sour.

(4) Stabilize the color of wine.

How much sulfur dioxide is in wine?

Even without human intervention, sulfur dioxide is produced naturally in small amounts during winemaking, but it needs to be added to reach levels where it is effective.

Therefore, according to the food additive labeling requirements in the "National Food Safety Standard General Rules for Pre-packaged Food Labeling" (GB 7718-2011), they must be clearly marked in the ingredient list.

Countries around the world have different regulations on the maximum amount of sulfur dioxide used in different types of wine.

The "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (GB 2760-2024) newly issued by China on February 8, 2024 (implemented on February 8, 2025) clearly stipulates that the maximum usage of sulfur dioxide in wine (calculated as sulfur dioxide residue) is 0.25g/L, and the maximum usage of sulfur dioxide in sweet wine (calculated as sulfur dioxide residue) is 0.4g/L.

Is it safe to drink wine that contains sulfur dioxide?

It is undeniable that excessive sulfur dioxide will cause certain harm to human health. However, if you drink wine in moderation with additives that meet national standards, the intake of sulfur dioxide will not exceed the safety standard.

Compared with the health risks brought by excessive drinking, there is no need to worry too much about the health hazards of sulfur dioxide. Once again, I remind you to drink in moderation and don't drink too much!