E150B - Caustic sulphite caramel

At a glance

Here are the basics in one place.

• What it is: a Class II caramel color made from heated sugars plus sulphite under alkaline (caustic) conditions
• What it does: adds stable brown color to drinks, sauces, and baked foods
• Also called: E150b, caustic sulphite caramel, caramel color (U.S.)
• Typical use levels: small amounts, just enough to achieve the desired shade
• Labeling: “E150b” or “caustic sulphite caramel” (EU); often “caramel color” (U.S.)
• Watch-outs: people who must avoid sulfites should check labels

Why is Caustic sulphite caramel added to food?

Food makers use E150b to give a consistent brown color, batch after batch, without changing flavor or sweetness. In the U.S., caramel color is an approved color additive exempt from certification and may be used in foods under good manufacturing practice, which includes E150b-type processes that involve sulfite compounds.¹ In the EU, it is an authorized color additive within the food additives framework.²

What foods contain Caustic sulphite caramel?

You’ll most often see caramel colors in dark soft drinks, malt and brewed beverages, sauces and gravies, vinegars, bakery items, and confectionery. In the U.S., “caramel color” can cover several caramel classes, including E150b, and is permitted broadly in foods as a color additive.¹ In the EU, E150b is authorized in many food categories, so you may see it listed as “E150b” on ingredient lists.²

What can replace Caustic sulphite caramel?

Color choices depend on shade, stability, and labeling goals.

• Other caramel classes: plain caramel, ammonia caramel, or sulphite ammonia caramel
• Other brown-to-orange colors: annatto, paprika extract
• Deep black-brown: vegetable carbon

Each alternative behaves differently in acid, heat, alcohol, or salt. Trials are usually needed to match the exact hue.

How is Caustic sulphite caramel made?

E150b is produced by heating carbohydrates (such as glucose or sucrose) in the presence of sulphite compounds under alkaline conditions (“caustic”), sometimes with food-grade alkalis like sodium hydroxide. The process creates large brown polymers that absorb light and look dark to the eye.³ U.S. regulations similarly define caramel color as the heat treatment of sugars with optional reactants, including sulfite compounds.¹

Is Caustic sulphite caramel safe to eat?

Regulators have reviewed caramel colors for safety. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set an acceptable daily intake (ADI—an estimate of the amount that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable risk) of 160 mg per kilogram of body weight per day for Class II caramel (E150b).⁴ In the U.S., caramel color is permitted for general use in foods, reflecting a history of safe use when produced and used as specified.¹ EU additive specifications set identity and purity requirements for E150b to ensure consistent quality.³

Importantly, concerns about 4‑MEI (4‑methylimidazole) mainly relate to ammonia-process caramels (Classes III and IV), not E150b, which is made without ammonia.⁴

Does Caustic sulphite caramel have any benefits?

Beyond color, E150b helps keep the look of a product steady from batch to batch and over shelf life. This can make drinks and sauces appear richer and more uniform. It does not provide nutrition and contributes little to taste at normal use levels.

Who should avoid Caustic sulphite caramel?

• People who are sensitive to sulfites should check labels. In the U.S., sulfiting agents must be declared on food labels at 10 parts per million (ppm) or more, even if they have no functional effect in the finished food.⁵
• Individuals with known sulfite sensitivity (sometimes seen alongside asthma) should follow their healthcare provider’s advice regarding foods that may contain sulfites.⁶

Myths & facts

• “Caramel color always contains 4‑MEI.” False. 4‑MEI is associated with ammonia-process caramels (E150c, E150d). E150b is made without ammonia.⁴
• “Caramel color makes food taste sweet.” Not at normal use levels. It is added for color, not sweetness.
• “All caramel colors are the same.” They are made by related processes but differ by reactants (plain, sulphite, ammonia, sulphite–ammonia), which affects charge, shade, and where each works best.

Caustic sulphite caramel in branded foods

On U.S. labels, you’ll usually see “caramel color,” which may refer to any caramel class. In the EU, labels often show the specific class, e.g., “E150b” or “caustic sulphite caramel.” If you must avoid sulfites, scan ingredient lists and—when in doubt—contact the brand for details on the caramel class and any sulfite declaration.

References

Footnotes

1. Caramel; 21 CFR 73.85 — U.S. FDA/eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-73/subpart-A/section-73.85 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — EU. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 (specifications for food additives) — EU. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩²

4. Scientific Opinion on the re‑evaluation of caramel colours (E 150a, E 150b, E 150c, E 150d) — EFSA Journal. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2004 ↩ ↩² ↩³

5. Food labeling; exemptions; 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4) (sulfite declaration at ≥10 ppm) — U.S. FDA/eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/section-101.100 ↩

6. Sulfite sensitivity — NIH MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001511.htm ↩