Desulfitation

Desulfitation strips out salts of sulfurous acid, chiefly sulfites, along with sulfur dioxide. Microbes can be used for the desulfitation of wastewater effluent from food factories. Wines destined for distillation can be desulfited using calcium carbonate. Heavily sulfitated musts kept for adjusting wine sweetness need desulfitation before use. In practice, producers more often minimize sulphite additions through good hygiene than strip them afterward, since complete removal without flavour damage is difficult. Where sulphites remain above trigger levels, label declaration is mandatory to protect sensitive consumers.