Application of flow injection analysis for determining sulphites in food and beverages: A review

Sulphites have been widely used as preservatives in food and beverages. Preservative determination is essential for the purposes of legislation and consumer safety. Among the analytical methodologies available, those based on flow injection analysis (FIA) can be highlighted. FIA offers interesting advantages such as versatility, accuracy, low cost, speed and automation, among others. These advantages make FIA an important alternative to conventional methods. This review considers the present status of published FIA methodology for determining sulphites in food and beverages. A detailed analysis of the technique is done, stressing its impact on the aspects of the extraction, separation, detection and quantification procedures in different matrices.