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| Sulphur dioxide
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What is sulphur dioxide?
Sulphur dioxide is a chemical used as a preservative in some foods.
The use of sulphur dioxide is strictly controlled by the Food Standards Code as some people might have serious allergic reaction when it is used in foods where they do not expect to encounter it.
What type of meat products can sulphur dioxide be used in?
In the meat industry, sulphur dioxide can only be used in:
- Some processed meat, poultry and game products that are produced using comminuted meats (eg. chopping, dicing, etc.).
For example:
- Mortadella, chicken loaf, turkey loaf, frankfurters, luncheon meats, Polish salami, devon and manufactured hams.
- Raw unprocessed sausage and sausage meat.
- Sausages, sausage meat and sausage rissoles – sausages must contain at least 500g/kg of fat free meat and fat cannot exceed 500g/kg of the fat free meat content – chipolatas, BBQ sausages, beef and pork sausages, chicken sausages; and
- Hamburger patties made from sausage meat.
How much sulphur dioxide can be used?
Less than 500mg/kg of the finished product.
What type of meat products are not allowed to contain sulphur dioxide?
- Raw meat, poultry and game, including raw minced meat of any kind;
- Cured or dried meats; and
- Uncooked fermented meat products.
Examples of these products include:
- Fresh raw mince beef, chicken, lamb, etc
- “100% meat” hamburger patties;
- Whole sides or cuts of fresh raw meat;
- Uncooked fermented meats such as pepperoni, hard Italian salami;
- Processed (or cured) whole meat cuts such as shoulder or leg ham, silverside;
- Cured meats such as bacon, prosciutto, pastrami, smoked chicken or turkey (not loaf);
- Dried meats such as beef jerky.
Penalties:
- The incorrect use of sulphur dioxide breaches the Food Standards Code, the NSW Food Act 2003 and the State’s regulatory food safety schemes. Failure to comply with the Food Standards Code can result in fines of up to $55,000 for an individual and $275,000 for a corporation.
Also on this site
- Factsheet: Sulfur dioxide in meat PDF 58 KB
- Translation: Sulphur dioxide in Arabic
- Translation: Sulphur dixoide in Chinese
- Translation: Sulphur dioxide in Vietnamese
- Industry sectors: Meat
- Food business issues: Allergies and intolerances
- Food buisness issues: General labelling requirments
- Food standards requirements - overview
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