My diet:

E150a Plain caramel (Caramel I)

E150aColorsOrigin: Plant
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The short answer
Plain caramel (E150a) is browned sugar used as a color. It is the caramel class made without ammonia, so it does not carry the 4-MEI question that hangs over cola color.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberE150a
Comes fromPlant
What it doesColors
Glycemic index—
Daily limit300 mg/kg
Also calledPlain caramel, Class I caramel

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Plain caramel is allowed in the US, the EU and Canada. EFSA's 2011 review grouped it with a high daily limit of 300 mg per kg of body weight. Class I does not use the ammonia process that forms 4-MEI.

How much is too much? (Acceptable Daily Intake)

21 gper day is the safe upper limit

Based on 300 mg per kg of body weight (EFSA / JECFA). A 20 kg (44 lb) child: 6.0 g a day.

What is it?

Class I caramel is the color you get by cooking sugar until it browns, then dissolving it. Spirit makers, bakeries and sauce makers use it when they want a warm brown without the sharp taste of burnt sugar in large amounts.

Where it comes from: Plain caramel is made by heating sugars, sometimes with a food acid or alkali. Unlike the cola caramels, this class is cooked without ammonia and without sulfite.

Why it’s in food

  • Browns spirits and vinegar
  • Colors bread crusts
  • Darkens gravies
  • Matches batch color

Often found in

Whisky and brandyMalt vinegarBrown breadGravyCookiesGingerbread

Also listed as: Plain caramel, Class I caramel, Caramel I, Simple caramel

Health & gut impact

4-MEIBenefit

Plain caramel is not made with ammonia, so it is not a meaningful source of 4-MEI.

EFSA re-evaluation of caramel colours (2011)

Sugar contentConcern

The dose of plain caramel used as a color is small, so it adds little sugar compared with the food around it.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2011)

Brown food the kitchen way

For your pantry
Pantry staple

Unsulphured molasses

Colors gingerbread and baked beans a deep brown.

Shop molasses Opens your country’s Amazon store
Pantry staple

Dutch cocoa

Darkens chocolate cakes without a color additive.

Shop dutch cocoa Opens your country’s Amazon store
Pantry staple

Maple syrup

A brown pantry sweetener with its own flavor.

Shop maple syrup Opens your country’s Amazon store

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What can I use instead?

Molasses

Ratio: To taste

Best for: Breads and gingerbread

Cocoa powder

Ratio: To color

Best for: Cakes and cookies

Related

More colors:

Allura Red AC (Red 40) E129Red 40 (E129) is a petroleum-based dye. It's legal in the US and EU, but European packages must carry a warning about hyperactivity in children, and California is removing it from school food.Best to avoidAmaranth dye E123Amaranth dye (E123) is a synthetic red that the US banned in 1976. Europe still allows tiny uses. It is not the amaranth seed sold as a gluten-free grain.Best to avoidAmmonia caramel (Caramel III) E150cAmmonia caramel (E150c) is the caramel class made with ammonia and no sulfite, common in beer. It is approved, but like cola caramel it can contain 4-MEI, which California lists under Proposition 65.Use in moderationAnnatto E160bAnnatto (E160b) is a natural orange color from achiote seeds. It's what makes cheddar orange. It's safe and vegan, though it's one of the few natural colors that can trigger allergies.Generally safe

Common questions

Is plain caramel the same as the color in cola?

No. Cola usually uses sulfite ammonia caramel (E150d). Plain caramel (E150a) is browned sugar without ammonia or sulfite.

Is Plain caramel safe?

Generally safe (91/100). Plain caramel is allowed in the US, the EU and Canada. EFSA's 2011 review grouped it with a high daily limit of 300 mg per kg of body weight. Class I does not use the ammonia process that forms 4-MEI.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 73.85 (US FDA)
  • EFSA OpenFoodTox: E150a
  • EFSA re-evaluation of caramel colours (2011)
  • EFSA Panel on Food Additives (2011)

INS 150a · CAS 8028-89-5