Caramel color

Beverages like colas account for three-quarters of the demand for caramel coloring.[citation needed]

Caramel color or caramel coloring is a water-soluble food coloring. It is made by heat treatment of carbohydrates (sugars), in general in the presence of acids, alkalis, or salts, in a process called caramelization. It is more fully oxidized than caramel candy, and has an odor of burnt sugar and a somewhat bitter taste. Its color ranges from pale yellow to amber to dark brown.

Caramel color is one of the oldest and most used food colorings for enhancing naturally occurring colors, correcting natural variations in color, and replacing color that is lost to light degradation during food processing and storage.[1] The use of caramel color as a food additive in the brewing industry in the 19th century is the first recorded instance of it being manufactured and used on a wide scale. Today, caramel color is found in many commercially made foods and beverages, including batters, beer, brown bread, buns, chocolate,[2] cookies, cough drops, spirits and liquor such as brandy, rum, and whisky,[3] chocolate-flavored confectionery and coatings, custards, decorations, fillings and toppings, potato chips,[4] dessert mixes, doughnuts, fish and shellfish spreads, frozen desserts, fruit preserves, glucose tablets, gravy, ice cream, pickles,[5] sauces and dressings, soft drinks (especially colas), sweets, vinegar, and more. Caramel color is widely approved for use in food globally but application and use level restrictions vary by country.[6]

In East Asia, the demand for caramel color in sauces exceeds that for beverages.[7][unreliable source?]
  1. ^ International Technical Caramel Association (ITCA) (2015-12-08). "Benefits of Caramel Color". www.caramelfacts.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  2. ^ "Other Applications: Cocoa/Chocolate". Caramel Color Application Guide. Sethness. Retrieved 25 Nov 2013.
  3. ^ Can you taste E150a in whisky?, Master of Malt Blog, 2011-03-18, archived from the original on 2016-10-02, retrieved 2016-09-30
  4. ^ "Zapp's Potato Chips Ingredient Lists". Zapps, Inc. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 25 Nov 2013.
  5. ^ "Sweet Pickle Chips". M.A. Gedney Co. Archived from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 25 Nov 2013.
  6. ^ GENERAL STANDARD FOR FOOD ADDITIVES CODEX STAN 192-1995 (PDF), Codex Alimentarius, retrieved 19 Mar 2021
  7. ^ "Choosing the Best Caramel Color for Soy Sauce". ddwcolor.com. DD Williamson. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 11 Jun 2015.