Preliminary data on sulphite intake from the Korean diet

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide the preliminary data on sulphite intake in the Republic of Korea. The sulphite intakes were estimated using individual dietary intake data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHNS) carried out in 1998 ( n = 11 , 525 ; age > 1 ) and analytical results of sulphites in 24 foods. In order to determine the sulphite intake, 322 food samples in 24 food categories among foods considered to be representative sources of sulphites in the Korean diet were selected. These selected samples were analyzed by the modified Monier-Williams Method. The detection range of sulphites in 14 subcategories of food varied from<0.01 to 3.58 g kg −1. The range in a further 18 subcategories of food fell even below the detection limit level (<0.01 g kg −1). In addition, all detected levels were lower than the maximum levels allowed by Korean legislation. The sulphite intake for average consumers (which is a part of the real value) ranged from 0.0019 mg kg −1 of body weight day −1 (bwi day −1) to 0.0082 mg kg −1 of bwi day −1 and, as a portion of the acceptable daily intake (ADI), ranged from 0.3% to 1.2% in all age groups. The findings show that the major foods that contribute sulphites for average consumers are sugar, salt, flour, wine and orange juice. The calculated sulphite intake of the adult group (aged 30–64) was slightly higher than that of other age groups for average consumers. The calculated sulphite intake for 95th percentile consumers was 0.76 mg kg −1 of bwi day −1 and 109% expressed as a percentage of ADI. Wine was the major food contributing sulphite among the 95th percentile consumers. The results revealed that the calculated sulphite intakes for average consumers in Korea, even though part of a real value, were lower than the ADI set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA); on the other hand, the dietary intake of sulphites for 95th percentile was approximately 110% of the ADI. In order to reduce the sulphite intake below the ADI, consumers who are in the 95th percentile need to restrict their consumption of wine to less than two glasses per day (150 mL per glass), which causes the sulphite intake for 95th percentile consumers to fall to below 96% of the ADI.