Sodium pyrosulfite in products: is it safe?

Anyone who does not care about his own body knows for sure that proper nutrition and the use of foods useful to the body are one of the main conditions for maintaining health. When purchasing food and drink in shops, you should carefully study 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, what not always "E" on packing means presence of the substance, pernicious for a human body. So, for example, for the code E330 is hidden ordinary citric acid - one of the most harmless and natural preservatives.

However, the use of the substance, which will be discussed, can not be attributed to either harmless or natural. Sodium pyrosulfite is a food preservative and antioxidant, actively used by domestic and many foreign producers.

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 be provided only on condition of 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, there are 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?

A 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, which significantly increases the shelf life of the product. And yet it is 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 of them are:

• Sausages.
• Dried, pickled or frozen vegetables and mushrooms, as well as everything that is made of them. For example, in the frozen semi-product "French fries", the food additive is not only a preservative, but also preserves the attractive white color of the product.
• Starches and products from starches, including most chips. Here there is an exception: Е223 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 drinks (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, there is a high probability of disruption of work and the occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Excessive use of sodium pyrosulfate can lead to eye diseases.

Especially it is worth noting the greater likelihood of an allergic reaction, which is 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 pose a serious danger. Here it should be noted that there are quite a few countries in which ban on sodium pyrosulfite is banned. Final conclusions about the use of products with E223, of course, have to be made to the consumer.