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E150aColorantLow concern
Plain Caramel
In plain words
The short version
Pure caramel color produced by heating sugars alone — the clean-label form of caramel coloring.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
JECFA allocated an ADI 'not specified' to plain caramel (Class I) in 1985. EFSA's 2011 re-evaluation set a group ADI of 300 mg/kg body weight per day for combined exposure to the four caramel colours (E 150a–d). Considered the safest of the caramel classes; lacks the 4-MEI concern of E150c and E150d because no ammonia is used. No specific allergen concerns.
The detail
The simplest of four caramel classes (E150a–d), produced by heating sugars (often glucose syrup) without nitrogen or sulfite catalysts. The traditional method, used in cooking long before commercial caramel manufacture.
Used in bakery glaze, whiskey and brandy color, vinegar, and soy sauce. Provides the same brown coloring as E150d but without the sulfite/ammonia residuals — preferred in clean-label formulations even though it is less stable in acidic beverages.
Dark brown viscous liquid or powder, soluble in water. Stable in neutral to mildly acidic conditions; less suited to strongly acidic carbonated drinks than E150d.
Permitted globally without restrictive limits. The most permissive of the four caramel classes.
Sources
- JECFA database — Caramel colour, Class I (plain caramel), INS 150a — WHO / FAO JECFA, 1985. JECFA ADI 'not specified' for plain (Class I) caramel; synonyms plain/caustic caramel
- EFSA news (19 December 2012) — Caramel colours: consumer exposure lower than previously estimated — European Food Safety Authority, 2012. EFSA 2011 group ADI of 300 mg/kg bw/day for E 150a–d
- 21 CFR 73.85 — Caramel (color additive exempt from certification), eCFR as of 1 Oct 2026 — US eCFR (National Archives / GPO), 2026. US status: caramel permitted for coloring foods generally under GMP
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, consolidated text (18 Aug 2026), Annex II Part C, Group II — EUR-Lex (European Union), 2026. EU status: E 150a in Group II colours authorised at quantum satis
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.