About one third of the commonly consumed foods were probable sources of sulfites in the Filipino diet, based on the results of a study conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science (DOST-FNRI).

The study titled “Estimation of Filipino Dietary Sulfite Exposure using Harmonized Food Consumption Database” showed that out of 1,541 revisited and re-coded food items using the updated FoodEx2 browser, 538 were screened as probable sulfite contributors in the Filipino diet. FoodEx2 browser is the internationally recommended harmonization tool for food code assignment.

The DOST-FNRI explained that coded commonly consumed Filipino foods were categorized under the Codex General Standards for Food Additives (GSFA) food groups allowing the use of sulphites.

"Sulfites are commonly used additives in food as an antioxidant, preservative, color enhancer, dough conditioner, among others. However, excess intake of sulfites beyond permissible levels can trigger allergic responses in sulphate-sensitive population alongside other adverse health effects such as abdominal pains and diarrhea,” it said.

It showed that the top sulfite contributors in the Filipino diet are the following: water-based flavored drinks; dried vegetables, seaweeds, and nuts and seeds; and fruit nectars.

“High level consumers, especially among children, were at risk for the detrimental effects of high-sulfite intake due to high consumption of water-based beverages, dried vegetables, seaweeds, and nuts and seeds, and fruit nectars,” the FNRI study said.

The FNRI researchers found that for extreme or high intake, most of the gender group among infants, children, and adults were near or exceeded the acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels.

“High sulfite exposure was especially observed among young children and children with exposure levels from 119 percent up to more than 200 percent ADI,” they said.

The ADI for sulfites is up to 0.7 milligram per kilogram body weight.

The research team recommended that continued collaboration with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies be pursued in terms of harmonizing food consumption databases.

They said “more refined dietary exposure assessment studies” using actual occurrence data or sulfites in the identified main contributors in the Filipinos’ diet should be conducted as a basis for policies regarding the use of additives.

The FNRI said the project was to update the country’s food item codes in terms of the most recent version of FoodEx2 browser and to apply the generated harmonized food consumption databases (FCD) in the estimate of dietary exposure of Filipinos to sulphites from commonly consumed foods.