Potassium Metabisulfite

The potassium salt analog of sodium metabisulfite, used as the dominant SO2 source in winemaking and other beverage applications where sodium contribution must be minimized.

White to pale yellow crystalline powder with a characteristic sulfurous odor and approximately 57 percent available SO2 by weight. Dissolves readily in water to release sulfurous acid and bisulfite ion.

We supply food-grade Potassium Metabisulfite from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include winemaking-grade powder (commonly called Campden powder in homebrewing), tablet form (Campden tablets) for hobby and small-cellar dosing, and pharma/lab grade for analytical and research use.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering SO2 content, iron, arsenic, selenium, and heavy metals.

Potassium Metabisulfite occupies the central role in modern winemaking that Sodium Metabisulfite holds in non-wine beverage and food applications. The functional chemistry is identical: dissolution in water yields sulfurous acid which dissociates to provide free SO2, bisulfite, and at higher pH sulfite ion.

The reason wine production prefers the potassium salt traces to ion balance. White and red wines typically receive multiple SO2 additions across the production cycle (crush, racking, malolactic completion, pre-bottling), each of which raises cation level in the wine. Sodium is highly soluble and accumulates, eventually shifting wine taste and triggering sodium-labeling thresholds in some markets. Potassium precipitates as potassium bitartrate during cold stabilization and is removed with the lees, leaving the wine effectively balanced.

Regulated as E224 in the EU under the same sulfite labeling rules as E223 (declaration above 10 mg/kg total SO2), classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA at defined use levels, and approved by JECFA with an Acceptable Daily Intake of 0.7 mg per kg body weight expressed as SO2.

Maximum SO2 levels in wine vary by wine type and market: the EU caps red wine at 150 mg/L, dry white and rosé at 200 mg/L, and sweet wines at 400 mg/L. U.S. TTB rules limit wine SO2 to 350 mg/L total and require the contains-sulfites warning above 10 mg/L. Organic wine certifications typically lower these caps by 30 to 50 percent.

• Wine production: must sulfiting, racking protection, and pre-bottling SO2 adjustment in red, white, rosé, and sparkling wine
• Cider and perry SO2 dosing at crush, fermentation, and bottling
• Mead and fruit wine antimicrobial and antioxidant treatment
• Vinegar production for protection against acetic acid bacteria contamination during storage
• Brewery sanitizer rinse for fermentation tanks and bottling lines
• Beer-line cleaning agent for keg and dispense systems
• Pre-fermentation suppression of wild yeast and bacteria during cold-soak maceration
• Fruit and juice antioxidant in winemaking-adjacent juice production