Caramel colour

What this is

Caramel color is a common brown food coloring made by heating sugars. Fast-food chains use it to give colas, sauces, and baked goods a rich dark hue. There are four classes of caramel color, and those made with ammonia or sulfites (Class III & IV) can generate 4‑MEI, a chemical byproduct linked to cancer in rodent tests. Regulators have set impurity limits and report that the tiny 4‑MEI amounts in foods do not pose an acute health risk. Overall, caramel color is permitted in foods and is generally recognized as safe at the levels used in fast-food products.

Critical Endpoints

The key endpoints experts review in safety assessments (critical endpoints). This is not a prediction of harm.