This attempts to be a comprehensive list of foods that can trigger a sulfite allergy. Feel free to suggest additional foods!
Sulfite Names
These are the names of sulfite ingredients most often found on nutrition labels.
Calcium Bisulfite
Calcium Sulfite
Potassium Bisulfite
Potassium Metabisultfite
Sodium Bisulfite (NaHSO3)
Sodium Metabisulfite (Na2S2O5)
Sodium Sulfite (Na2SO3)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Sulfite-Containing Ingredients
Caramel color (E150a)
Citric Acid
Dextrose
Food Colorings
Fructose
Lemon Juice Concentrate
Lime Juice Concentrate
Maltodextrin
Natural Flavorings
Foods With a Natural Source of Sulfites
Allium Family (Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots & chives)
Brassica Family (Cabbage, broccoli, mustard, cauliflower, turnip, rapeseed/canola, horseradish & radish)
Black Tea (and many react to any tea, but sulfites are usually in bleached tea bags)
Cheese
Coffee
Cumin
Eggs
Kale
Maple syrup
Molasses
Peanuts
Soy
Vinegar (most can tolerate Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar or organic rice vinegar)
Watercress
Sneaky Suspects
Often sulfites can be snuck into other things. This especially applies to anything that has been bleached or brightened and used as food.
Any wet-processed corn product (corn syrup, corn starch, corn-based eating utensils)
Bleached flour
Coconut products
Most fermented food like pickles, sauerkraut, and commercial yogurt
Tea bags, unless cited unbleached
White paper products (paper plates, napkins, paper towels, etc)