UK allergen
Sulphites and eating out in the UK
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are one of the 14 allergens when they are present above 10 milligrams per kilogram or per litre. In a restaurant the drink, the dried fruit and the wine in a sauce can matter as much as the main ingredient.
The drink can be the ingredient
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are used to preserve wine, cider, some beers, dried fruit, some pickled foods and some processed potatoes. In a restaurant the glass, the dried apricots on a salad, and the wine reduced into a sauce are all in scope. A meal can be simple and the drink can be the source.
UK rules require sulphites to be declared when they are present at more than 10 milligrams per kilogram or per litre, expressed as sulphur dioxide. Below that level a business may not have to flag them. You will not be able to judge the milligrams from the table. Ask what is in the drink and the sauce, and read a label where there is one.
Sensitivity, asthma and the 14
Sulphite sensitivity is often discussed in people who also have asthma. It is not identical to a classic immediate food allergy, and this page cannot tell you which reactions you are at risk of. If sulphites have been identified as a problem for you, treat them as one of the 14 when you eat out and follow the clinician who assessed you.
Wine labels often carry their own sulphite statement. A sauce made from that wine may never repeat the statement on a menu. Ask. A hygiene rating will not mention sulphur dioxide.
Eating out without a laboratory
Natasha’s Law helps when the food was packed before you chose it and sulphites are above the threshold: they belong in the emphasised allergen declaration. A board of cooked food needs a conversation. SafePlate lets you record sulphites on your profile. The score stays unknown until a menu or a visitor note mentions them, which is common, because many menus never use the word.
If you also avoid gluten, remember that beer can raise both questions: barley in the grain, and sometimes sulphites as a preservative. Ask about the drink you are actually being poured.
What to ask about sulphites
- Does the wine, cider, beer or mixer contain sulphites?
- Is there wine, cider or dried fruit in the sauce or the salad?
- Is this pickled or preserved food, and is there a label?
- On packed food, are sulphur dioxide or sulphites emphasised in the ingredients?
- Who can check if the person serving is not sure about the drink?
Search with sulphites on your profile
Add sulphites, then search a city. Include the drink in the question you ask the restaurant, not only the plate.
Questions people ask
Do all wines contain sulphites?
Many do, and labels often say so. Producers and levels differ, including the legal threshold for a declaration. Read the bottle or ask the restaurant to read it. Do not assume a house wine is sulphite-free because the menu is silent.
Is a sulphite issue the same as a peanut allergy?
They are both on the UK’s 14 allergens, and they behave differently in the body. Follow the advice you were given for sulphites specifically. Use the same practical step in a restaurant: make sure the business knows, and do not guess.
Can SafePlate tell me the sulphite level in a dish?
No. SafePlate does not measure milligrams. It can record that you avoid sulphites and show a score only when a menu or a note mentions them. Ask the venue about wine, cider and dried fruit.
Set up your foods before you search. This is not medical advice. Confirm the meal with the kitchen. If you think someone is having anaphylaxis, call 999.