Sulphites used as preservatives in foods might
pose a risk for sensitive individuals, causing broncho-constriction, urticaria
and dermatitis. The present work aimed at determining sulphite concentration
using Optimized Monier- Williams method.
A total of 357 food products were collected
from different markets of Delhi and analysed for sulphites. The food products
were classified into eight categories namely preserves, dried fruits, beverage concentrates, sugars, confectionery
items, ready to serve beverages, bakery products and miscellaneous products.
The mean recovery for 8 major food matrices
was found to be 82.02% with relative standard deviation % RSDR of 3.22 and %
RSDr of 1.72. The sulphite levels, expressed as sulphur dioxide, ranged from
<10.0 mg/kg to 406 mg/kg. A total of 21% food products had sulphite
concentration below the quantifiable limit of 10 mg/kg and in 30% of food
products sulphites were not-detectable.
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