The safety of Sulphur dioxide-sulfites (E 220-228) as food additives was reevaluated by the EFSA's Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings (FAF) in 2022. In parallel, the Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) of ECHA adopted two opinions in support of the approval of Sulphur dioxide for the disinfection of wine barrels and for the preservation of packaging, concluding the evaluation of Sulphur dioxide as a biocidal active chemical.

Following an earlier EFSA opinion on the re-evaluation of these food additives under Regulation (EC) No 257/2010, the EFSA's Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings (FAF) re-assessed the safety of Sulphur dioxide-sulfites (E 220-228) as food additives in 2022. Simultaneously, the evaluation of Sulphur dioxide as a biocidal active substance was completed3, following an assessment by Germany as the evaluating Member State.

ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) adopted two opinions supporting the approvals of:

• Sulphur dioxide generated from Sulphur by combustion as an active substance used for disinfection of wine barrels (product-type 4).
• Sulfur dioxide released from sodium metabisulfite as a preservative to prevent microbial growth in shoe boxes during storage and transport (product-type 9).

Sulfur dioxide's effectiveness as a biocide was evaluated based on the dossiers of applicants in:

• 2012 for PT4 (sulfur dioxide generated from sulfur by combustion).
• 2013 for PT9 (sulfur dioxide released from sodium metabisulfite)

The new literature search undertaken in 2022 to update the 2016 assessment of sulfur dioxide-sulfites (E 220-228) as food additives was supported by further evidence found there as well as data provided by IBOs. Like the dataset for biocides, the dataset for food additives is primarily made up of research that are freely available in the literature, but it also includes a more recent database than the one used for the biocides evaluation.

The following NOAEL values were identified from developmental toxicity studies with sodium bisulphite in mice and rats in the evaluation of Sulphur dioxide as a biocidal active substance.

• 20 mg/kg bw/day for the study in mice,
• 15 mg/mg bw/day for the study in rats.

ECHA and EFSA has concluded that both the EFSA evaluation in the context of the BPR and the EFSA assessment in the context of the Food Additives Regulation were completed in accordance with their standard operating procedures and are consistent with their respective regulatory frameworks.