🍷 Allergen labelling (contains sulphites)
The law requires labels to say "contains sulphites", and in the EU also egg and milk.
Allergen labelling means the required wording on a label that warns people with allergies. For wine, the best-known example is the phrase "contains sulphites". The law requires it when the wine holds more than a set amount of sulphur dioxide. In the European Union the threshold is 10 milligrams per litre.
Sulphites form during fermentation, and winemakers also add them to protect wine from spoilage. Some people are sensitive to them, which is why the wording is needed. It does not mean the wine is dangerous for everyone.
Since 2012 the EU also requires labels to mention egg or milk if egg white or casein was used to clarify the wine and traces remain. Such agents help remove haze, but a person with an allergy needs to know about them.
The rules are set out in European regulations on food information and on the wine market. The wording usually sits next to the other details on the label.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Allergen labelling (contains sulphites) ← then ← 🍷 Wine label → kind of → 🍷 Wine bottle ← packed in ← 🍷 Wine
Links
- Previous step
- 🍷 Casein (fining agent), 🍷 Wine label, 🍷 Sulphite sensitivity
- Part of
- 🍷 Wine label
- Wine and milk
- ❤️ Milk protein allergy
Frequently asked questions
What does "contains sulphites" on a bottle mean?
The wine has sulphur dioxide above the level at which the law requires a warning.
Must labels mention milk and egg?
In the EU, yes, if casein or egg white was used for clarifying and traces remain in the wine.
Where do sulphites in wine come from?
Some form naturally during fermentation, and winemakers also add them to protect against spoilage and oxidation.
What to read next
- ❤️ Milk protein allergy — A reaction to cow's milk protein, more common in children.
- 🍷 Casein (fining agent) — A milk protein that removes brown colour and bitterness from white wine.
- 🍷 Sulphite sensitivity — In some people, more often those with asthma, sulphites cause shortness of breath or a rash.
Similar
🍷 Health warning label · 🍷 Wine ingredient list (EU 2023) · 🍷 Alcohol in wine
Sources
- Wikipedia (en): Food labelling regulations
- EU Regulation 1169/2011 (food information, Annex II allergens)
- EU Regulation 1308/2013 (CMO, wine sector)