Ever wondered why caramel color (E150) is everywhere? That’s because caramel color is one of the most widely used food coloring in the world. It dates back to the 19th century when caramel color was first used commercially for the brewing industry. Then in the 20th century, soft drink companies started using caramel color not only as a colorant, but as an emulsifying agent as well.

Today, caramel color comes in solid or liquid form, water-soluble and gives foods color that ranges from light yellow to dark brown. It has a wide range of applications. Although there are some considerations that food manufacturers take a look into when using caramel color. Two of them are color stability and compatibility with the food process and/or the ingredients. Will the caramel maintain its color during a specific process? What will happen to the color in the presence of salt or acid?

There are other other food additives that can make food products visually appealing to customers. Why the love for caramel color (E150)? Well, for good reasons.

Keep reading.

Applications of caramel color

Caramel color is added to various food products mainly for better color—and flavor too. Generally, You’d see caramel color or E150 in:

• Baked goods
• Beverages
• Beer and spirits
• Confectionery
• Sauce and seasonings
• Snacks

Foods have naturally-occurring colors. However, these become unstable once the food is processed. And the color degradation would continue as a result of exposure to light, air, moisture, and temperature during storage. This is where a food coloring such as caramel color comes in. It corrects and maintains the color of the food to make it appealing and attractive to the eye.

Aside from color, it is also used to flavor foods and beverages, as I have mentioned. In the world of confectionery, caramel candies are a staple. Caramel flavor is also common in chocolate products and fruit juices, as flavor and topping for ice cream and popcorn.

Caramel color also has an ability to emulsify in sodas. This is especially true to flavored sodas that require flavoring oils as an ingredient. An emulsifying agent is a food additive that helps stabilize an (aqueous) emulsion. You might want to read this patent filed by Pepsico Inc. in 1963.

Why caramel color (E150)?

With many selections of food coloring, why caramel?

You can’t blame food manufacturers why they mostly, if not entirely, rely on caramel color. The product of caramelization is relatively economical, readily available and easy to use. Plus, its bland aroma and mild flavor do not significantly affect the flavor profile of the finished product.

The process of making caramel color

Like the name suggests, caramel color is made through a process called caramelization. Caramelization is a process that involves controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates.

When making caramel color, reactants may be added. Basically, carbohydrates are food grade nutritive sweeteners that are commercially available. These may consist of  glucose, fructose, sucrose, invert sugar, molasses, maltose, and starch hydrolysates. Among these, fructose creates the darkest color as it caramelizes the fastest at 230°F (110°C). While maltose requires at least 356°F (180°C) to caramelize.

Caramel color can be manufactured without a reactant (Class I). But food grade reactants such as an acid, alkali or salt may be added to assist in the caramelization and make a variety of caramel colors. There are 4 classes of caramel color. Each of them has its own distinct properties to satisfy the requirements of a specific application or food process.

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4 classes of caramel color

These classes of caramel color are recognized by United Nations Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).

Each of them has an INS (International Numbering System for Food Additives) and an E number. INS is a European naming system for additives to shorten lengthy names and is defined by the following:

• Codex Alimentarius

• International food standard association of WHO

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

The E numbers are codes use within the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Class I

Class I is plain caramel—no reactant. Its INS and E number is E150a. Ideally used for baked products like cookies and crackers, high proof alcohols like whiskey, and fruit concentrates.

Class II

Class II is caustic sulphite caramel. Its INS and E number is E150b. Made with sulphite compounds, including sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃), potassium sulfite (K2SO3), and sodium sulfite (Na2SO3). Its distinct red color and stability in alcohol makes it ideal in rum, wine, whiskey, and brandy. Also used in snacks.

Class III

Class III is ammonia caramel. Also called beer caramel and confectioner’s caramel. Its INS and E number is E150c. Made with ammonium compounds. These compounds include ammonium carbonate (NH4) 2CO3, ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), ammonium phosphate (NH4) 3PO4, and ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH₄HCO₃). Ammonia caramel is stable in alcohol. Used in beer production. Has sweet aroma—used for confectionery products. Also ideal for salt-rich foods like BBQ sauces, gravy, and soy sauce.

Class IV

Class IV is sulfite ammonia caramel. Also called soft-drink caramel. Its INS and E number is E150d. Made with sulfite and ammonium compounds. Has dark brown color. Used in a wide variety of foods like syrup, coffee, pet foods, meat mixes, seasoning, soda, and baked goods. Sulfite ammonia caramel is also ideal for acid foods like vinegar.

Color Measurement

Let’s talk about color measurement of caramel.

According to the FDA, caramel must be dark brown liquid or solid material. But there is more to it. How are you going to make the color of the product exactly the same every single time? Will the color be stable?

Checking and standardization using a measuring equipment helps determine the color changes during processing, and storage, and control the color of the final product.

The color intensity or value refers to the absorbance of a 1 mg/mL (0.1% weight/volume) solution in water. This refers to the brightness and visibility of a food product, to put it simply.

Commonly, the intensity of color is measured using a ratio of absorbance values. In chemistry, absorbance value refers to the quantity of light absorbed by a sample (caramel color). This is determined through spectral analysis using an equipment like a spectrophotometer.

Through the Hue Index, the results are analyzed. Basically, the Hue Index determines objectively how red (or yellow) the caramel color is. The higher the value of the Hue Index, the more red or yellow the caramel color is. The range of the Hue Index for caramel color is around 3.5 to 7.5 at 0.1 solution.

Generally, the higher the color intensity, the lower the hue index.

Is caramel color (E150) safe?

Yes, caramel color is indeed safe. Caramel color is neither carcinogenic nor a genotoxic. In fact, many international regulatory bodies approved its use as a food coloring.

Wait, what about the compound called 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) in Class III and Class IV caramel coloring? Isn’t it a carcinogenic, according to a study submitted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in 2007? The 2-year toxicological testing showed increased incidence of certain lung tumors in mice.

The reaction of ammonia and the reducing sugars promotes formation of 4-MEI in Class III and IV caramel color. However, according to FDA, there is no reason to believe that 4-MEI can cause immediate or short-term health risks. The reason is that the levels of 4-MEI used on the mice far exceeded current estimates of human consumption from foods, obviously.

And besides, like most additives, regulatory bodies tightly regulate the use of caramel color. In fact, 250 mg/kg (ppm) is the limit for 4-MEI, as set by the following:

• Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
• Food Chemicals Codex (FCC)
• European Union (EU)

Furthermore, this updated study on safety of caramel conducted in 2017 found No Observable Adverse Effect Levels (NOAEL). This is in terms of toxicokinetics, genotoxicity, subchronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity studies. 

And if you are still so concerned about 4-MEI, you’ve been consuming foods with 4-MEI unknowingly. How? The compounds also form when you roast coffee beans or grill meat at home.

Key Takeaways

• The process of caramelization produces caramel color.
• The process may or may not involve a reactant (acid, alkali or salt)
• There are four class of caramel color: plain caramel, caustic sulphite caramel, ammonia caramel, and sulfite ammonia caramel.
• Caramel color gives distinct color to foods, ranging from light yellow to dark brown
• Measuring the color of caramel helps determine the color changes of the food product.
• 4-MEI is a compound or impurity present in Class III and IV.
• As assessed by regulatory bodies such as the FDA and JECFA, caramel color is safe.

There it is—caramel color (E150) as a food additive. Have I missed something important? Or perhaps, you have just found caramel in the ingredient list of a food product? Share it below. And if you found the post informative that other may like this, share it. I will appreciate it much.

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