A chemical salt or compound containing a bisulfite group, commonly used as a preservative in foods and wines.
From bi- (two) + sulfite (from sulfurous acid, sulfur + -ite). Developed as chemical nomenclature in the 18th-19th centuries.
Food companies use bisulfites to preserve dried fruits and wines—it's why some wine drinkers complain about 'sulfites'—but the chemistry is actually keeping millions of tons of food from spoiling before it reaches your plate.
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