Is Caramel colour bad for you?
Also listed as: INS 150a, INS 150c, INS 150d, E150, class IV caramel
Short answer
Approved and considered safe within limits. It is mostly a cosmetic additive; some types contain a by-product that regulators cap, so very high cola intake is worth limiting anyway.
What it is
A brown colouring made by heating sugars, sometimes with ammonia or sulphites (classes 150a to 150d).
Where you’ll see it
Colas, sauces, gravies, ‘brown’ breads, whisky and some biscuits.
+ The good side
- Used in small amounts for colour only
− The other side
- Types 150c and 150d can contain 4-MEI, a by-product with regulated limits
- Can make bread look ‘wholemeal’ when it isn’t
Who should pay attention
Heavy cola drinkers; shoppers judging bread by colour.
💡 What to do: Brown colour isn’t proof of whole grain. Read the flour type.
Got a pack with Caramel colour?
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‘Multigrain’
Multigrain only means more than one grain is used. It doesn’t mean whole grain, and many multigrain breads and biscuits are mostly refined flour.
Tartrazine
Permitted within limits, but a small number of people react to it, and in the EU foods with it must warn that it may affect activity and attention in children.
General food information, not medical advice. Exact limits and labelling rules vary by country. If you have a medical condition or allergy, follow your doctor’s or dietitian’s advice.