摘要： Food additives are substances of known chemical composition that are neither consumed as food nor typical food ingredients, regardless of their nutritional value, but are instead added to foodstuffs to perform certain technological functions and retain certain sensory properties of food. Additives that are widely applied in food industry include sulphur dioxide (SO2) and sulphites (E 220 – E 228). Sulphur dioxide and its derivatives are added to foodstuffs in order to inhibit and control the growth of microorganisms, for the purpose of prevention of non-enzymatic browning and inhibition of enzyme-catalysed reactions, as well as antioxidants and reducing agents.Food to which they are most often added includes various dried fruits, certain species of crabs and molluscs, fruit juices, beer, wine and other products. Since harmful effects of sulphur dioxide and sulphites are most commonly associated with allergic reactions to food, it is, therefore, necessary to inform consumers of their presence in food, even when they are present in very small quantities, because their quantity itself does not exclude the possibility of an allergic reaction. The use of sulphur dioxide and sulphites in the processing of crabs (scampi, shrimp, and lobster) is justified by their preservative effect on slowing the growth of bacteria and preventing the formation of melanomas that manifest by the emergence of black spots on crab shell caused by the polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are regulated by Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on food additives as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1129/2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing a Union list of food additives. In 1993, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified sulphur dioxide and sulphites as Group 3, meaning they are not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has, in its Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of sulphur dioxide (E 220), sodium sulphite (E 221), sodium bisulphite (E 222), sodium metabisulphite (E 223), potassium metabisulphite (E 224), calcium sulphite (E 226), calcium bisulphite (E 227) and potassium bisulphite (E 228) as food additives, confirmed that the current acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.7 mg SO2 equivalent/kg of body weight per day would remain adequate.
