Studies on the Contents of Naturally Occurring of Sulfite in Foods

This study was performed to compare optimum analytical method for the contents of naturally occurring sulfur dioxide in foods and to investigate the contents of sulfur dioxide in foods in order to provide a fundamental data when distinguish between added and naturally occurring sulfur dioxide. The determination of the contents of sulfur dioxide in foods from the 20 kinds, 180 cases of samples has been analyzed by the optimized Monier-Williams method, modified Rankine method and Acid Distillation/Ion Chromatography. As a result of the study, the contents of naturally occurring sulfur dioxide in foods by the optimized Monier-Williams method showed from 1.02 to 43.87 ppm and highly content of 43.87, 15.37, 11.50, 11.21 and 10.60 ppm were observed in garlic, platicodon, green onion, cabbage and onion, the others were less than 10.00 ppm. The sulfur dioxide contents in green onion and garlic by modified Rankine method were showed to be 2.87 and 6.14 ppm, respectively, the others were detected less than 2.50 ppm. The contents of sulfur dioxide by Acid Distillation/Ion Chromatography showed 15.43, 9.82, 5.74, 2.14 and 0.49 ppm in garlic, cabbage, green onion, onion, potato and apple, respectively and the others were not detected. And the contents of sulfur dioxide in green onion, onion, cabbage and garlic showed higher levels of sulfur dioxide in these foods than the others because of the naturally occurring sulfur containing compounds. The optimized Monier-Williams method, which is the official analytical method of Korean Food Code, was suitable for monitoring of sulfur dioxide of most foods. Acid Distillation/Ion Chromatography was thought to be adequate for sulfur containing foods such as green onion, onion and cabbage. In order to distinguish between added and naturally occurring sulfur dioxide, it is though to be need of the fundamental data for the contents of sulfur dioxide in sulfite-free foods and continue the investigation for it.