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Ingredient register

Sulphur Dioxide

Limit Allergen Food and drink E220 INS 220

Decode Label flags Sulphur Dioxide as a moderate concern in food and drink (allergen). It appears in 3 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.3%).

The concern

Preservative — triggers asthma and allergic reactions in sensitive people

Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (E220–E228) are preservatives used in dried fruit, wine, and processed foods. They can trigger severe asthma attacks and anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals, particularly asthmatics. Products with >10 ppm sulphites must be labelled in India and EU.

Most relevant to

People prone to allergies People with asthma

Cited authority

FSSAI; EU Directive 2007/68/EC

Linked sources: FSSAI →

How common it is in this catalogue

Measured across every product Decode Label has analysed — not estimated, and not taken from anyone else's dataset.

3 of 893 published products 0.3%

By category

Food 2
Beverages 1

Hazard classification

FSSAI Declarable above 10 mg/kg — FSSAI Labelling & Display Regulations 2020 Allergen route: oral 2026-08-01 source →

Declaration is required above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre. Of particular relevance to people with asthma.

Identity

Canonical name
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
E number
E220
INS number
220

Also appears on labels as

Sulfur Dioxide Sulfites Potassium Metabisulphite Sodium Metabisulphite E221 E222 E223 E224

Questions

Is Sulphur Dioxide safe?

FSSAI: Declarable above 10 mg/kg — FSSAI Labelling & Display Regulations 2020. Why it is flagged: Preservative — triggers asthma and allergic reactions in sensitive people. Decode Label treats it as a moderate concern in food and drink. It appears in 3 of the 893 published products we have analysed (0.3%).

How common is Sulphur Dioxide in Indian packaged products?

Decode Label found Sulphur Dioxide in 3 of 893 published products (0.3%), most often in Food, Beverages.

Which authorities have classified Sulphur Dioxide?

FSSAI — Declarable above 10 mg/kg — FSSAI Labelling & Display Regulations 2020.

Who should be most careful with Sulphur Dioxide?

People prone to allergies; People with asthma.

Products containing Sulphur Dioxide

3 published products, each with its own full analysis.

Paper Boat Swing Coconut Water Drink Parle G Monaco Priyagold Butter Bite Cookie

Related ingredients

Other entries in the register with the same kind of concern.

Peanuts Aspartame Wheat Flour

Method and limits

  • Prevalence counts published products whose decoded ingredient list matches this substance or one of its label synonyms, using the same matching the score itself uses. It describes our catalogue of 893 products, not the Indian market as a whole.
  • Presence is not dose. An ingredient list gives order, not quantity, unless the pack declares a percentage. Nothing here estimates how much of this substance any product contains.
  • A classification is not a verdict on a product. An agency classifies a substance under defined conditions of exposure; whether that matters in a given food or cosmetic depends on route, concentration and use.
  • No regulatory rows. This substance is not matched in our regulatory warehouse, so the concern above rests on the cited authority alone.
  • Last updated. This register entry was last changed on 28 September 2026.
  • Corrections. Every figure here is reproducible from the sources named. If something is wrong, tell us and we will correct it and say what changed.