| Wine has been given credit for both health | | | | statement is just one of 11 required items that |
| benefits and health issues. As a result of the | | | | must appear on a wine label. It along with the |
| FDA's regulatory activities wineries began to be | | | | government warning statement are the 2 most |
| required to use the statement, "contains sulfites" | | | | commonly seen required items that correspond to |
| on their labels in early 1988. (for any wine with | | | | protecting the wine drinking public's health. |
| more than 10 parts per million sulphur dioxide) | | | | So can wine really be the cause of headaches? |
| Perhaps you have heard someone decline a glass | | | | The short answer in relation to blaming them on |
| of wine in a social setting or tasting because, "the | | | | the presence of sulfites in wine is no. The longer |
| sulfites in it give me a headache". This is a | | | | answer most commonly given out goes, drink the |
| misconception inaccurately blamed on the use of | | | | good stuff and you'll be headache free. The simple |
| sulfur dioxide in the winemaking process. The | | | | test anyone can use to determine if wine is the |
| actual reason the FDA took action to have that | | | | source of their headaches is to drink about a half |
| two word statement required on wine labels was | | | | a glass of it then wait for 15 to 20 minutes to |
| directly focused on the less than 1% of the | | | | see if symptoms of one begin developing. The |
| population who are diagnosed sulfite sensitive. | | | | same process applies for many other items we |
| Sulfur dioxide is a regular component of both the | | | | drink or eat, though their results time frames can |
| grape growing and winemaking process. It acts as | | | | be longer. |
| a preservative against spoilage in both stages. | | | | There are many who promote the health benefits |
| Sulfur dioxide is also produced as a by product of | | | | of drinking wine. The story goes that Robert |
| the fermentation process itself, so even if a | | | | Mondavi drank a bottle every day of his adult life. |
| winery never added sulfur in the vineyard and did | | | | Regardless of your feelings as to wine's health |
| not add it during the winemaking process it would | | | | benefits or detractors it is to your overall benefit |
| still show up in the finished product. All of the | | | | to get the most out of your enjoyment of it by |
| information that is put on a wine label is regulated | | | | educating yourself about how it is made and the |
| by the federal government. The "contains sulfites" | | | | accurate meaning of label statements. |