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Food additive · Color

Plain caramel

E-number
E150a

Caramel color class I, made by heating sugars without ammonia or sulfite compounds.

  • Food additive
  • Color (added)
  • Ultra-processing marker
  • Expert review pending
Low concern Level 1 of 4 How concern levels work

A minor or very limited concern, such as being an ultra-processing marker only. The concern level sets how many points plain caramel costs on a product’s receipt.

What the evidence says

  • Marker of ultra-processingInfo

    An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [1]

Evidence tiers say how sure the evidence is, separately from how much it matters. About evidence tiers.

Rules around the world

WhereStatusDetailsDateSource
European Union Permitted Permitted (E 150a). — [2]

“Banned” means explicitly prohibited or withdrawn after review; “not permitted” means never authorized there. We use each regulator’s own words.

Popular products that list plain caramel

3 of the 17,000 most-scanned products in the US with a GoodSwap page list plain caramel.

Diets and allergens

Vegan
Yes
Vegetarian
Yes
Gluten-free
Yes

For the ingredient in general. Always check the package: a product’s own labels win.

Names GoodSwap recognizes on labels (11)
  • e150a
  • colour e150a
  • caramel e150a
  • plain caramel
  • color plain caramel
  • caramel colour e150a
  • colour caramel e150a
  • colour plain caramel
  • caramel color class i
  • colours plain caramel
  • colouring plain caramel

Sources

  1. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 of 11 November 2011 amending Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 by establishing a Union list of food additives

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 11, 2011 · Law

    “E 127 Erythrosine 200 only cocktail cherries and candied cherries”

    eur-lex.europa.eu