Food additive-additive interactions involving sulphur dioxide and ascorbic and nitrous acids: a review

Abstract

This review evaluates the published work on sulphur dioxide and ascorbic and nitrous acid reactions with other food additives to form stable compounds. In some cases, such as between nitrite and sorbic acid, the compounds formed have a potentially higher toxicity than the original additives. No adverse effects have been demonstrated in real foods, however, probably due to the adoption of substantial safety margins between no-effect levels in animals and the maximum levels of additives to which humans could be exposed. The reactions discussed in this review are those most likely to occur in current additive usage. However, due to the large numbers of permitted food additives, many more interactions occur in foods that could lead to chemical reactions under favourable conditions.