Caramel
A vague label; may contain controversial ammonia-based caramels.
- Category
- Colours
- Vegan
- Yes
- Vegetarian
- Yes
What it is
E150 on its own is not one additive — it is the family name for four caramel colours made by four different processes.
How it is used in food
One of the cheapest and most stable ways to give a food a brown colour.
Commonly found in- Soft drinks
- Soy sauce and gravy
- Dark beers and spirits
- Baked goods
Health and safety
Which caramel you are eating matters, and a bare "E150" does not say. The two ammonia classes, E150c and E150d, carry traces of 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), which caused tumours in high-dose mouse studies and is capped by regulation. The plain and sulphite classes, E150a and E150b, do not involve ammonia and do not carry 4-MEI.
EFSA set a group ADI of 300 mg/kg body weight per day covering all four caramel classes, with a separate, tighter limit on 4-MEI in the ammonia classes.
Regulatory status
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand FSANZ |
Permitted | Permitted under the FSANZ Food Standards Code. |
| European Union EFSA / European Commission |
Not approved | Not on the EU authorised list of food additives (Annex II). |
| United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) |
Permitted | Authorised for food use by the FDA (often GRAS for standard additives). |
Identification on labels
- E-number
- E150
Worth knowing
Caramel colour is the single most-used food colouring in the world by weight, almost all of it in soft drinks.
Conclusion
A vague label; may contain controversial ammonia-based caramels.
Is it in what you are buying?
ScanWise reads the barcode and tells you which additives a product actually contains, and what they do to its score.
Open the appEntry last reviewed 2026-07-28.
← All additives