'No Additives' Claim... Sulfur Dioxide Detected in Dried Mango and Dried Persimmon Slices

Korea Consumer Agency, Results of Investigation on 30 Products

Products labeled or advertised as additive-free that are factually incorrect.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Sulfur dioxide was detected in some dried fruit and vegetable products labeled and advertised as containing no food additives.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 21st, an investigation of 30 products sold on the market, including dried mango, dried persimmon, and dried sweet potato, found sulfur dioxide in some products labeled as "additive-free." Sulfites are food additives used to prevent browning, oxidation, and microbial growth, and their usage must comply with residual sulfur dioxide limits. If sensitive individuals consume these, allergic reactions may occur, and if sulfur dioxide remains at 10 mg/kg or more, it must be labeled as an allergen.

Test results showed that sulfur dioxide was either not detected or detected within the standard limits in all 30 products tested: 10 dried mango, 10 dried persimmon, and 10 dried sweet potato products. However, among 20 products labeled and advertised as containing no food additives on the product or sales page, sulfur dioxide was detected at levels ranging from 0.022 to 0.089 g/kg in 6 products, indicating false labeling and advertising. All relevant businesses responded to the Consumer Agency that they would improve their labeling and advertising.

In this investigation, 9 out of 10 dried persimmon products were classified as agricultural products, and among them, 7 products showed sulfur dioxide levels between 0.027 and 0.106 g/kg. The Consumer Agency estimates that these products were fumigated with sulfur. Sulfur fumigation involves burning sulfur to produce sulfur dioxide gas (anhydrous sulfurous acid), which forms a thin film on the fruit surface to prevent browning and spoilage, during which sulfur dioxide may remain. Anhydrous sulfurous acid generated by sulfur fumigation is not considered directly added as a raw material and is therefore excluded from allergen labeling requirements.

The Consumer Agency pointed out the need to establish safety management measures, such as banning sulfur fumigation on agricultural products or requiring the use of sulfites permitted as food additives for manufacturing and selling processed foods. Additionally, although six types of sulfites are permitted as food additives in Korea, anhydrous sulfurous acid lacks component standards such as content and purity tests, so it emphasized the need to establish component standards to ensure safety. Based on this investigation, the agency plans to request the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to strengthen management and supervision of labeling and advertising of dried fruit and vegetable products, implement safety management measures for sulfur-fumigated agricultural products, and establish component standards for anhydrous sulfurous acid.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.