Sulphite Sensitivity: Symptoms, Foods and How to Find Your Triggers

Sulphite sensitivity is an adverse reaction to sulphites, preservatives added to many drinks and foods, and it most often shows up as wheezing, a tight chest or a cough. It is more common if you have asthma. The route to a clear answer is a careful symptom record, reading labels, and working with a GP or allergy specialist on any elimination and reintroduction. This guide covers the symptoms, the foods and drinks involved, the names to look for on UK labels, and how to work out your own triggers safely.

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TL;DR

Sulphite sensitivity typically causes wheezing, chest tightness and coughing, but can also cause flushing, hives, stomach pain, nausea and diarrhoea.
It affects fewer than 2% of people overall, but 5% to 13% of people with asthma.
Wine, beer, cider, dried fruit, pickles, processed meats and pre-cut potatoes are common sources. UK labels must declare sulphites above 10mg per kg or litre.
There is no reliable skin or blood test for it. A symptom diary and a supervised exclusion and reintroduction are the usual route.
Our at-home intolerance screening can help you spot wider food patterns to bring to your elimination diet.

What sulphite sensitivity actually is
Symptoms of a sulphite reaction
Who is more likely to be affected
Foods and drinks that can contain sulphites
Sulphites and wine
Medicines, cosmetics and other hidden sources
Eating out and takeaways
How to find out whether sulphites are your trigger
Our perspective
Using a screening test alongside your diary
Living well with a sulphite sensitivity
FAQ
Sources

What sulphite sensitivity actually is

Sulphites (also written sulfites) are compounds containing sulphur dioxide. Producers use them to stop food and drink going brown, to slow spoilage and to keep wine stable. They also occur naturally in small amounts during fermentation.

For most people they cause no trouble at all. For a small group, they trigger symptoms that look like an allergy. Anaphylaxis UK explains that this type of reaction does not typically involve the immune system’s IgE response, which is what makes it different from a classic food allergy.

The same source says there is no single established mechanism. It is likely to involve several factors, including enzyme differences such as sulphite oxidase and responses in the nervous system. In plain terms: nobody can yet say precisely why you react and your neighbour does not. That is why your own record of what you ate, drank and felt matters so much.

The word you choose matters little. “Sulphite allergy”, “sulphite intolerance” and “sulphite sensitivity” are used interchangeably in everyday speech, though clinicians reserve “allergy” for immune-mediated reactions.

Symptoms of a sulphite reaction

Allergy UK lists these common symptoms:

wheezing
chest tightness
cough
flushing
hives
abdominal pain
nausea
diarrhoea
itching

The airway symptoms are the classic ones. If you notice a tight chest or a cough shortly after wine, a glass of cider or a handful of dried apricots, sulphites are one possible explanation worth noting down.

Serious reactions are uncommon. Anaphylaxis UK says there are a very small number of reports of serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and that it is uncertain whether these involve an immediate IgE reaction. Even so, take breathing difficulty seriously (see the safety section below).

Why the same food does not always cause the same reaction

You may find a drink bothers you one evening and not the next. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust notes that the severity of a reaction to the same amount of a food can vary, and that strenuous exercise, infection, asthma or hay fever symptoms and alcohol can all affect it. Keep a note of these extras in your diary, not just the food itself.

Who is more likely to be affected

Asthma is the biggest pointer. A UK healthcare factsheet reports that sulphite sensitivity affects less than 2% of the general population, rising to between 5% and 13% of people with asthma.

If you have asthma and notice your symptoms flare after certain meals or drinks, mention it at your next asthma review. It is useful information for your clinician, and it makes your diary more valuable.

If you are trying to understand a child’s reactions, our parental guide to food sensitivity walks through sensible first steps for families.

Foods and drinks that can contain sulphites

The list is longer than most people expect. Allergy UK’s 2026 factsheet names these common sources: wine, beer, cider, dried fruits, pickled foods, processed meats and pre-cut potatoes.

Category	Examples to check
Drinks	Wine, beer, cider, some fruit juices and squashes
Dried and preserved fruit	Dried apricots, raisins, other dried fruit
Pickled foods	Pickles, pickled onions, some sauces
Processed meat	Some sausages and burgers
Prepared vegetables	Pre-cut potatoes, such as ready-prepared chips

This is a starting list, not a complete one. Recipes vary between brands, so the label on the pack in your hand is always the best guide.

Sulphite names on UK labels

In the UK, food businesses must manage sulphur dioxide or sulphites above 10mg per kilogram or per litre as allergens and give accurate allergen information. In practice, that means the word “sulphites” or “sulphur dioxide” should appear emphasised in the ingredients list on pre-packed products.

Allergy UK also lists the additive codes to watch for: E220 to E228, plus E150b and E150d. Ingredient lists may show these as numbers or as names.

Two habits help:

Read the label every time, even on products you buy regularly, because recipes change.
Remember that a label only has to declare sulphites above the 10mg threshold, so very small traces may not be listed.

Sulphites and wine

Wine is where most people first suspect sulphites, and it is one of the most searched topics around this subject. Sulphites do play a role, but the picture is more tangled than a single culprit.

A placebo-controlled study of wine-induced asthma concluded that it appears to be a complex phenomenon that may involve several interdependent mechanisms. So if wine leaves you wheezy, sulphites may be part of the story without being the whole of it.

A few practical ways to learn more about your own pattern:

Note the drink, the amount, the time and what you ate with it.
Compare red, white, sparkling, beer and cider, since each has different production methods.
Record where the symptom appears: chest and breathing, skin, stomach or head.
Notice whether other triggers from the list above, such as exercise or a cold, were present.

If your main symptom is a headache with no breathing or skin involvement, say so when you talk to your GP. It helps them think about the full range of possible causes rather than assuming one.

Medicines, cosmetics and other hidden sources

Sulphites are not only in the kitchen. Allergy UK notes they are sometimes used as preservatives in medicines, including topical creams, eye drops and some injections such as local anaesthetics, though reactions to topical creams and eye drops are very rare.

If you already know you react to sulphites, tell your pharmacist, dentist and any clinician who may give you an injection. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine yourself. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber to check the ingredients and whether an alternative is suitable.

Eating out and takeaways

Labelling rules do not stop at the supermarket door. Allergy UK advises that non-pre-packaged food, including takeaway and restaurant meals, is covered too, and that if you are in doubt, you should ask.

When you ask, be specific. “I react to sulphites” is clearer than “I’m a bit sensitive to some things”. Name the dish you want, ask whether the sauces, pickles, dried fruit or wine in it contain sulphites, and ask the staff to check with the kitchen rather than guess. Examples of questions to ask restaurants about allergens show how clear scripts and kitchen checks make the conversation easier, even though they are written about a different allergen.

Drinks deserve the same attention. Wine, cider and beer are often forgotten when people ask about “ingredients”.

How to find out whether sulphites are your trigger

This is where many people get stuck, so it is worth being direct.

Allergy UK states that there are no reliable skin or blood tests for sulphite sensitivity. Diagnosis may involve a detailed history, a symptom diary, a supervised food exclusion and reintroduction, or a supervised challenge.

In practice, that points to a sensible sequence:

Keep a diary for two to four weeks. Record everything you eat and drink, any medicines, and every symptom with its time.
Read labels and look for patterns. Highlight sulphite-containing items and compare them with your worst days.
See your GP, especially if you have asthma or any breathing symptoms. Take the diary with you.
Only exclude and reintroduce under guidance. A healthcare professional may recommend an elimination diet followed by a food challenge, and the challenge should happen only under medical supervision.

Never try a deliberate sulphite challenge at home if you have wheezing, asthma or have ever had a significant reaction. That step belongs in a clinic.

Our own guides can help you structure the parts you do at home: the step-by-step workflow for managing food sensitivities and our guide to spotting symptoms of undiagnosed sensitivities are good places to start.

Our perspective

Many people who contact us have been feeling unwell for months and cannot see a pattern. Sulphites are one possible piece, but they rarely sit alone. A bloated stomach after wine might be the drink, the meal, the dairy in the sauce or something else entirely.

That is why we believe in looking at the wider picture. Our at-home hair-sample test uses bioresonance technology, which is non-invasive and simple, and our UK laboratory returns a clear digital report in 48 to 72 hours. Our panel covers up to 1,450 items, the largest we know of in the UK, so you can look at many possible food and environmental triggers in one go rather than guessing one at a time.

We are open about what our tests are: intolerance screening, not a medical diagnosis. We designed the report to give you a practical starting list for an elimination diet, alongside your diary and your clinician’s advice. If you have breathing symptoms, we would always want you to speak to your GP too.

The aim is simple: help you feel more in control, with clear information you can act on.

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Using a screening test alongside your diary

If your diary shows several possible triggers, a wider view can save weeks of trial and error. Our Ultimate Plus Intolerance Test costs £140.99 one-off per person. You collect a hair sample at home, send it to our UK laboratory and receive a digital report within 48 to 72 hours, with guidance on using the results in an elimination diet.

You can compare every option, including the Core, Essential, Premium and Ultimate tests, on our tests page, or order the Ultimate Plus Intolerance Test directly. Not sure which suits you? Our guide to choosing a sensitivity test in 2026 and the Core vs Ultimate comparison explain the differences. If you want to prepare first, our 7-step checklist for testing at home covers it.

Living well with a sulphite sensitivity

Once a clinician has confirmed it, management centres on avoidance. A UK healthcare factsheet says it involves avoiding sulphite-containing foods, medicines and cosmetics, and that how strict you need to be depends on your own level of sensitivity.

Some everyday habits make that easier:

Choose fresh over dried, pickled or pre-cut where you can, and prepare potatoes yourself.
Check labels for E220 to E228 and “sulphites” in bold.
Read the label of any medicine, cream or eye drop, or ask the pharmacist.
Tell restaurant staff exactly what you need, every visit.
Plan substitutes so a sulphite-free diet stays varied and enjoyable. Our practical guide to dietary adjustments has ideas.

When to get urgent help

Call 999 if you or someone else has trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or feels faint after eating or drinking. Do not wait to see whether it passes.

Planning ahead is part of living with this. Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia advises that people with mild reactions should carry asthma relievers when eating away from home, and that those at risk of anaphylaxis should have an action plan and carry at least one prescribed adrenaline device. That advice comes from Australia, so ask your UK GP or allergy specialist what is right for you.

FAQ

What are the symptoms of sulphite intolerance?

The most common are wheezing, chest tightness and coughing. Some people also get flushing, hives, itching, stomach pain, nausea or diarrhoea. Keep a diary of what you ate and when symptoms began, and see your GP if you notice any breathing problems.

Which foods are highest in sulphites?

Wine, beer, cider, dried fruit, pickled foods, processed meats and pre-cut potatoes are the commonly cited sources. Amounts vary by brand, so check each label for sulphites, sulphur dioxide or the codes E220 to E228.

Can I test for sulphite sensitivity at home?

There is no reliable skin or blood test for sulphite sensitivity, and any challenge should be supervised. A home screening such as ours looks at wider food intolerance patterns to support your elimination diet, not to diagnose sulphite sensitivity. Use it alongside a diary and your GP’s advice.

Is the wine headache caused by sulphites?

Not necessarily. Research on wine-induced asthma suggests several mechanisms may be involved, so sulphites may be only part of the picture. A diary comparing different wines, quantities and meals will show you more than guesswork.

Do I need to avoid sulphites completely?

Not always. Avoidance depends on how sensitive you are, which is something your clinician can help you judge. Do not cut out multiple foods without guidance, as that can affect your nutrition.