Allergen 13 of 14 · Su

Sulphites: the 10 mg/kg rule, the bar and the dried fruit

Sulphites are preservatives, not an ingredient anyone orders. They are declared above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre, and pubs and cafés meet them mostly in drinks, dried fruit and sausages.

Checked against the official guidance on 18 September 2026

What the law covers

Annex II lists “sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre in terms of the total SO2”, calculated on the product as proposed ready for consumption or as reconstituted according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Where it hides in a UK kitchen

In the free matrix builder, typing any of these ticks sulphites automatically: Wine, Cider, Moules mariniere. These prompt a label check instead, because it depends on the recipe or the brand: Stuffing, Vinaigrette, Pickles, Horseradish sauce, Vinegar, Wine vinegar, Dried fruit, Sausage, Burger patty, Black pudding, Chorizo, Full English breakfast.

Cross-contact to think about

• Not really a cross-contact allergen: the question is the preservative content of what you buy in. Check specifications.

Where your risk assessment finds a risk you cannot control, mark the dish “may contain” on the matrix. Don't use it as a blanket statement: when “may contain” is justified.

On a PPDS label

Emphasise the sulphite in the additive's name so the customer can see it.

Make a PPDS label with allergens emphasised automatically →

Mistakes we see on matrices

• A wine-based sauce not ticked for sulphites.
• Sausages changed to a new supplier without checking the preservative.
• Forgetting the drinks on the matrix: the bar is part of the menu.