Novel insight into the role of sulfur dioxide in fruits and vegetables: Chemical interactions, biological activity, metabolism, applications, and safety

Abstract

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) are a category of chemical compounds widely used as additives in food industry. So far, the use of SO₂ in fruit and vegetable industry has been indispensable although its safety concerns have been controversial. This article comprehensively reviews the chemical interactions of SO₂ with the components of fruit and vegetable products, elaborates its mechanism of antimicrobial, anti-browning, and antioxidation, discusses its roles in regulation of sulfur metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS)/redox, resistance induction, and quality maintenance in fruits and vegetables, summarizes the application technology of SO₂ and its safety in human (absorption, metabolism, toxicity, regulation), and emphasizes the intrinsic metabolism of SO₂ and its consequences for the postharvest physiology and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. In order to fully understand the benefits and risks of SO₂, more research is needed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of SO₂ metabolism in the cells and tissues of fruits and vegetables, and to uncover the interaction mechanisms between SO₂ and the components of fruits and vegetables as well as the efficacy and safety of bound SO₂. This review has important guiding significance for adjusting an applicable definition of maximum residue limit of SO₂ in food.

Keywords:

• Sulfur dioxide
• fruits and vegetables
• food additives
• sulfur metabolism
• postharvest physiology
• toxicity

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFD2100100), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972114, U2003213, 32072271, 32272776, 32001748), and the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2022C02033).

Disclosure statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFD2100100), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972114, U2003213, 32072271, 32272776, 32001748), and the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2022C02033).