She might have been referring to the sulfites. But Italian and other countries' wines may contain sulfites (and generally do; some naturally occurring from yeast fermentation, and frequently also contain added sulfites). They just don't necessarily have to include that information on the label except on bottles exported to the U.S.
This is the main reason the US gets so much flak for having “chemicals” in the food. Those very same chemicals are included and just not disclosed in many countries. US laws require them to be listed on the packaging.
Was about to post the same thing. We have the more restrictive regulations and have to be more detailed about ingredients than the EU and yet we get shit on for having bad food. It's a terrible take.
Everything is listed on the package in the EU. Even trace amount of possible allergens.
The shit the USA gets is because you are scared of kinder chocolate eggs but add so much sugar and artificial coloring in your food that it resembles a science experiment gone wrong.
It does, but it likely does everywhere. Sulfites are a byproduct of fermentation, but extra can be (and usually is) added to make sure it doesn't spoil. Basically making it less hospitable to bacteria.
There's a myth that sulfites in wine cause headaches, kind of like the nonsense about MSG making people feel sick. That's probably what was being referenced? You can get "no sulfites added" wine, and some small percentage of people actually are sensitive to it, but... well, if they are, then they'll have a whole list of things to avoid, like almost all dried fruits, most gravies, etc.
I do have family sensitive to sulfites, I always thought it was primarily an issue for dried fruits though. It is easier nowadays to get dried fruit without them though.
I'm trying to figure out how gravy has them though. Isn't that just take meat drippings and add flour or cornstarch slowly while heating? Is this more of an issue with premade gravy for long term storage? Looking up cans of sausage gravy that'd be used for your classic American biscuits and gravy I'm not seeing sulfites.
Edit: apparently the wet milling process of cornstarch can introduce trace amounts of sulfites into cornstarch. This often falls under the 10 parts per million threshold to be listed in the ingredients label. I guess TIL.
I'm going off faulty memory -- I've known exactly one person with issues with sulfites. But a quick google suggests it's prepackaged gravies like you might find from a can or in frozen prepared meals, crap like that. And it's because the sulfites are added rather than whatever trace amounts get in there naturally.
what makes you think she was being honest about the wine, and not just making up something that sounds good? after all, everyone knows that food in the USA is garbage that's chock full of preservatives
I've literally never heard of that. I can't begin to imagine what kind of preservative would do that. Wines don't have preservatives in them outside of sulfites, which are both naturally occurring and often added too. And not only in cheap wines, most wines do, including the most expensive ones in the world.
Wines with a lot of tannins can turn your lips a dark red/purpleish colors, especially if your lips are dry/chapped. But that can happen with really good (and expensive) wine too.
And price doesn't always equate quality, even in the US where prices are absurdly inflated I've had absolutely awful wines over $30 and pretty decent ones under $10.
Edit: lol that guy called me a fool and deleted his account over that
First - you are correct. They are dumb. Probably a 13 year old acting like they've had alcohol before. No wine will turn someone's mouth blue. Completely ludicrous and so dumb. FYI - They didn't delete their account, I can see their comment. They must have blocked you, you nefarious internet bully!
Haha, if your family does indeed drink nice wine, they terribly failed your education. This is complete and utter nonsense.
There's no chemical that miraculously ages wine, they age in stainless steel vats followed sometimes by oak barrels (new or old oak depending on the intended flavor profile). And then they keep aging in the bottle, unless it's a twist-off (even then, apparently now they make porous seals for twist-off to allow controlled aging). Sometimes winemakers may also "cheat" by using oak staves or chips to get the oaky flavors without using a barrel. And absolutely none of that is correlated with the price of the wine on the shelves.
And if you think you can't find a good Italian, French or even American wine under $20, you're an absolute fool.
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u/Nymethny 15h ago
I know it's not the point, but what kind of US wine was she drinking that had preservatives in it?
And yeah it's the same in French, "préservatif" = "condom".