Caramel Colours
E150a-E150d
E150a, E150b, E150c, E150d, caramel colours, caramel colors, caramel colour, caramel color, Class I caramel, Class II caramel, Class III caramel, Class IV caramel, burnt sugar colour
What it is
A family of four brown food colours made by controlled heating of carbohydrates, with the classes distinguished by the reagents permitted during manufacture.
Why BOTIA flags it
"Caramel" on a label can mean any of four different substances made in different ways. JECFA evaluated the four classes separately and assigned different intake limits, so they are not interchangeable. Labels rarely tell you which class was used, so you cannot tell exactly which one you are consuming.
BOTIA CAN
- Identify E150a, E150b, E150c or E150d when the class is declared and recognise generic caramel colour wording.
- Trigger the E-number layer while keeping the four caramel classes distinct.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Infer the exact caramel class when the label only says caramel colour or caramel color.
- Measure process by-products such as 4-methylimidazole or determine their concentration from label text.