sulfite

American  

[suhl-fahyt] / ˈsʌl faɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of sulfurous acid.

2. any sulfite-containing compound, especially one that is used in foods or drug products as a preservative and that can cause severe allergic reactions in susceptible individuals: use in fresh fruits and vegetables banned by the FDA in 1986.

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sulfite Scientific  

/ sŭl′fīt′ /

1. A salt or ester of sulfurous acid, containing the group SO ₃.

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Other Word Forms

• sulfitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of sulfite

First recorded in 1780–90; sulf(ur) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

To do so, it has compounds called sulfite oxidases that create sulfate from sulfite – the 20 milligrams in a glass of wine are unlikely to overwhelm your sulfite oxidases.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2024

Frozen shrimp may contain preservatives like sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium bisulfite, which people with sulfite or phosphate sensitivities may want to avoid.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2024

Intriguingly, Ranjan pointed out, they depend on a fairly complex enzyme machinery for the first step, reducing sulfate, sulfur's abundant "modern" form, to sulfite, suggesting these enzymes are the product of a long evolutionary process.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2024

To make the humanmade version, the team first softened thin strips of oak by boiling them with lye and sodium sulfite.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 15, 2023

Most published directions for the preparation of phenylhydrazine specify the use of zinc dust and acetic acid following the reduction with sodium sulfite.

From Organic Syntheses by Conant, James Bryant