Comparing E150 - Caramel vs E172I - Black iron oxide

Overview

E150 - Caramel

Caramel (E150) is a common brown color made by carefully heating sugars. It gives colas, sauces, and baked goods their deep brown tone and sometimes a light roasted taste.

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E172I - Black iron oxide

Black iron oxide (E172i) is a food color that gives a deep gray to black shade. It is a synthetic mineral pigment based on iron oxide, often referred to as magnetite. Food makers use it in small amounts when they want a stable, strong black tone.

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Synonyms
E150
Caramel
E172i
Black iron oxide
Functions
colour
colour
Origins
Plant
Animal
Synthetic
Mineral
Products

Found in 795 products

Found in 4 products

Search rank & volume
#2888.5K / mo🇺🇸U.S.
#304600 / mo🇺🇸U.S.
Awareness score

×16.16
over-aware

×10.30
over-aware

Search volume over time

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.

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Popular questions

  1. How to make caramel?

    E150 caramel color is made by heating sugars (e.g., glucose syrup, sucrose, or dextrose) under controlled conditions, sometimes with food-grade acids/alkalis and, for some classes, ammonia and/or sulfites, to form brown coloring compounds. This is an industrial process distinct from making caramel candy at home.

  2. How to make caramel sauce?

    Caramel sauce is a kitchen recipe—cook sugar to a deep amber, then carefully whisk in cream and butter; it’s different from E150 caramel color. The additive is produced industrially by controlled heat treatment of sugars to make a coloring, not a sauce.

  3. What is caramel made of?

    E150 caramel color is made from carbohydrates (sugars) heated to form complex brown polymers; depending on the class (E150a–d), acids/alkalis, ammonia, and/or sulfites may be used during processing. It contains no dairy or butter unless added in a finished food.

  4. How to pronounce caramel?

    Both “KAR-uh-mel” and “KAR-mel” are widely accepted pronunciations.

  5. Can dogs have caramel?

    Small amounts of caramel color used in pet foods aren’t considered toxic to dogs, but caramel candies or sauces are not recommended due to sugar and risk of stomach upset, dental issues, and weight gain. Avoid any caramel products sweetened with xylitol, which is dangerous for dogs.

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  1. What is black iron oxide used for?

    It’s a food colorant (E172) that provides black or gray tones, mainly used in surface decorations and coatings like confectionery, icings, and cheese rinds; it’s also common in capsules and tablets.

  2. How to make black iron oxide?

    Food‑grade black iron oxide is made industrially by controlled oxidation/precipitation of iron salts to form magnetite (Fe3O4), then washing, calcining, and milling to strict purity specs—not something to safely or legally produce at home.

  3. Is black iron oxide safe?

    Yes—when used within permitted limits it’s considered safe by regulators (e.g., EU E172), is poorly absorbed, and has tight impurity limits; note that allowed uses vary by country.

  4. What is black iron oxide powder?

    A fine, insoluble magnetite (Fe3O4) pigment that meets E172 food‑grade specifications and is used to color foods black; it does not meaningfully add dietary iron.

  5. What is iron oxide black?

    It’s another name for black iron oxide (magnetite, Fe3O4), the black variant of the E172 iron oxides used as a food color.

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