bisulfite

or bi·sul·phite

[ bahy-suhl-fahyt ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a salt of sulfurous acid, containing the HSO 3 − group; an acid sulfite; a hydrogen sulfite, as sodium bisulfite, NaHSO 3 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of bisulfite¹

First recorded in 1885–90; bi- ¹ + sulfite

Example Sentences

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

“Whether farmed or wild caught, the cheaper the shrimp, the more likely it is to have been treated with chemicals, particularly sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium bisulfite,” Melissa Clark writes in the New York Times.

From Washington Post

Whether farmed or wild caught, the cheaper the shrimp, the more likely it is to have been treated with chemicals, particularly sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium bisulfite.

From New York Times

Adding sodium bisulfite doesn’t actually keep the shrimp from deteriorating, though; it’s purely for aesthetics.

From New York Times

This is not true of sodium bisulfite, though.

From New York Times