Sulfur Dioxide as Preservative and Sanitizing Agent

Effect of pH Miiller-Thurgau and Osterwalder (1914) were the first to observe that sulfurous acid and its salts were effective as preservatives only in acid media. Perry and Beal (1920) confirmed this by finding that with more acid solutions the lower the concentration required to inhibit fermentation and mold growth. Bioletti and Cruess (1912) did not find that acidity or sugar content was involved in the decrease in antiseptic effect of SO2 in ripe as compared with unripe grapes. Subsequently however, Cruess and Irish (1932), Cruess (1932), and Cruess et al. (1931) in their investigations of the effect of pH on toxicity of sulfurous acid and 

Other aspects of preservative value are discussed by Lochhead and Farrell (1936), Hamman (1951), Souci (1951), and von Schelhorn (1953). 

Effect of Sulfur Dioxide on Heat Processing Sulfur dioxide can be combined with heat processing in preservation of juices and purges. In the presence of sulfur dioxide a more rapid destruction of microorganisms occurs so that lower pasteurizing temperatures and times may be used. A more rapid destruction of Byssochlamys fulva in the presence of sulfurous acid was observed by Gillespy (1946). Pederson and Tressler (1938) 

Fruit juice beverages are prepared extensively in Europe, England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Israel, and elsewhere from sulfited juices and concentrates by dilution and sweetening which tend to mask the 

The elucidation of the mechanism of inhibition of browning by sulfur dioxide thus still remains for the future and upon it will depend the more rational use of sulfur dioxide in the industry. 

---