I'm allergic to Sulfites!
Frank Shankly
Hello all,
I am been very interested in winemaking for some time now, and am
really itching to try it. I have a problem, though. I think I am
allergic to the sulfites in commercial wine. I can't even finish one
small glass without coming over short of breath, and red and hot in
the face. Picture the feeling of running up two or three flights of
stairs quickly. This doesn't seem normal, especially as other
alcoholic drinks don't affect me this way at all, nor does regular
grape juice.
What can I do? Is there any way to make wine without sulfites? Could
my problem be something other than sulfites?
Thanks in advance,
chris
Scott Arighi
On Fri, 20 Jun 1997 06:05:55 GMT, wil...@deltanet.com (Frank Shankly)
wrote:
Second things first. Sulfite allergy. Do red and white wines affect
you in different ways or to a different degree? Commercial white
wines are usually given a slightly higher dose of sulfite at bottling
(typical 35 ppm free sulfite) than red wines (typical about 25 ppm).
If you are more sensitive to red than white, it may be an allergy to
histamine, which is present in red wines, rather than sulfite.
First things second. Yes, it is possible to make wines without
*adding* sulfite. Some yeasts produce as much as 10 ppm of sulfite
during the fermentation, though most produce less. If you choose to
avoid adding sulfite, the must or juice will oxidize heavily, but most
or all of that crud will probably settle out of the wine. The wine
itself will be *very* susceptible to oxidation and the browning caused
by the oxidation will not go away. You will also have a *much*
higher risk of spoilage from either bacteria or yeasts that produce
evil aromas and flavors. If your fruit source is free, try making
wine without sulfite. If your fruit costs you lots of money recognize
that your effort could be a dead loss.
Good luck, without sulfite you will need it :-)
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
Brian Grier
Frank Shankly wrote:
>
> Hello all,
> I am been very interested in winemaking for some time now, and am
> really itching to try it. I have a problem, though. I think I am
> allergic to the sulfites in commercial wine. I can't even finish one
> small glass without coming over short of breath, and red and hot in
> the face. Picture the feeling of running up two or three flights of
> stairs quickly. This doesn't seem normal, especially as other
> alcoholic drinks don't affect me this way at all, nor does regular
> grape juice.
> What can I do? Is there any way to make wine without sulfites? Could
> my problem be something other than sulfites?
> Thanks in advance,
First does the same thing happen when you drink:
1) Beer (after 2 or 3)
2) Distilled Alcohol (rum, gin, whiskey,...)
If your answer is yes (to either or both) you may actually be
allergic to alcohol. If your answer is "no" to both then
it most likely is an allergy to sulfates.
Next it may simply be the quantity of sulfates in the wine. I
have read that some common wines have 150ppm of sulfates in
them. I personally do not add extra sulfates to my wines from
concentrates. The concentrates already have had sulfates added,
and I have not had anyone complain about problems with wines I
make from concentrates. Friends that have problems with
commercial wines have no problem with my wines, at least so far.
I do not sulfate my peach or plum wines, since I pasturize the
must at 150degF for 30 minutes. I do sulfate my wines made from
grapes, since I do not pasturize them.
Get a copy of "From Vines to Wines". In there is a table that
relates the amount of sulfates needed to protect the wine, to
the pH of the must. Most of the time I use very little sulfates
in my fresh grape wines (around 40ppm) due to the pH of the grapes
I use.
Remember:
Your Mileage May Vary
Brian
GREATFERM
In article <33aa1bda...@news.deltanet.com>, wil...@deltanet.com
(Frank Shankly) writes:
>I think I am
>allergic to the sulfites in commercial wine.
This question generally opens the B.S. doors wide...... May I quote from
David Bruce, M.D. "Twelve Little Known Medical Facts about Wine..."
5. On the subject of that "contains Sulfites" label: did you know that
your body produces sulfites each and every day. In fact, in 24 hours your
body produces sufficient sulfite to require 100 bottles of wine to be so
labelled !!!! Sulfite production is a normal by-product of most forms of
life. It is not surprising to discover that even yeast produce Sulfite !
So.... even though the wine maker makes wine that is completely
organic (i.e. uses no sulfite at all), he may still have to label his wine
"Contains Sulfites".
Just keep in mind that most wines contain very little Sulfite. It is a
non-problem to 99.9% of people.
6. True allergies to wine are EXTREMELY RARE. This is my area of
expertise. I was a physician in active practice for 25 years, who was
actively looking for wine allergies. I never saw a confirmed case ! Three
examples of allergy to wine (all to Egg White, a Fining Agent used in
wine) have been uncovered in a computer-aided search of the literature. It
is that rare !
(end quote)
Jay Conner
Greatferm
Jack
>
> First things second. Yes, it is possible to make wines without
> *adding* sulfite. Some yeasts produce as much as 10 ppm of sulfite
> during the fermentation, though most produce less. If you choose to
> avoid adding sulfite, the must or juice will oxidize heavily, but most
> or all of that crud will probably settle out of the wine. The wine
> itself will be *very* susceptible to oxidation and the browning caused
> by the oxidation will not go away. You will also have a *much*
> higher risk of spoilage from either bacteria or yeasts that produce
> evil aromas and flavors. If your fruit source is free, try making
> wine without sulfite. If your fruit costs you lots of money recognize
> that your effort could be a dead loss.
> Good luck, without sulfite you will need it :-)
>
oxidation, sufites are not the only ones, just supposedly more
effective. Find a book that talks about alternatives to sulfite,
Blackberry Jack
Scott Arighi
Ascorbic acid works perfectly well as an antioxidant, but is totally
ineffective against bacterial and yeast species. Sulfite has the
advantage of working for both purposes. A small number of
commercial wineries are now making wines with no *added* sulfite with
apparent success. To do so does seem to require very great care and
usually some capabilities like steam sterilization and tight
filtration that most amateurs don't have access to.
Denise Judith Penkalski
Well, *officially* sulfite allergy is a chemical sensitivity... I know, I
have to deal with it, if I have more than one glass of wine or hard cider, I
am flying high, my face turns red, I run a fever, and almost pass out. So,
when I vint, I don't use sulfites, but then again, I tend to make mead, and
it doesn't seem to do much to taste in anyone's mind except improve it :)
Good luck, and happy vinting!
-Denise
a.k.a. pantherrr
Denise Judith Penkalski
Michael Carney
Frank Shankly wrote:
>
> Hello all,
> I am been very interested in winemaking for some time now, and am
> really itching to try it. I have a problem, though. I think I am
> allergic to the sulfites in commercial wine. I can't even finish one
> small glass without coming over short of breath, and red and hot in
> the face. Picture the feeling of running up two or three flights of
> stairs quickly. This doesn't seem normal, especially as other
> alcoholic drinks don't affect me this way at all, nor does regular
> grape juice.
> What can I do? Is there any way to make wine without sulfites? Could
> my problem be something other than sulfites?
> Thanks in advance,
> chris
If you can get it where you are located, you might try purchasing NYS's
Bully Hill Wines, Most of their wines are made without chemicals at all
- and only a few (which are labeled) have sulfites added for clearing
the wines. I have had similar problems with many commercial wines.