Allervibe
E150b
Caustic sulphite caramel
The Class II caramel colour, made by heating sugars with sulphite compounds but no ammonia.
i Additive Details
| Is E150b Caustic sulphite caramel safe?
It is made with sulphite reagents, so residual sulphite is present in the colour itself. In the finished food this is normally far below the 10 mg/kg level at which sulphites must be declared, but people who react to sulphites often want to know that such reagents were used. No ammonium compounds are involved, so E150b does not contain 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI).
| Uses
Used mainly to darken spirits such as whisky and brandy, along with vinegars, liqueurs and some soft drinks. It is the least common of the four caramel classes in European food.
| Interactions
Carries a negative charge, so it stays clear in acidic, tannin-containing drinks where a positively charged Class III caramel would form haze. For this reason the four caramel classes are not interchangeable.
| Origin
Made by heating food carbohydrates such as glucose syrup or sucrose with sulphite compounds — sulphurous acid, sulphites or bisulphites — with or without acids or alkalis, but without ammonium compounds.
| Daily Intake
Covered by the group ADI of 300 mg per kg of body weight per day that EFSA set in 2011 for the four caramel colours E150a to E150d.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E162 Beetroot red A red-violet pigment (betanin) obtained from red beetroot.
- E163 Anthocyanins Water-soluble red, purple and blue plant pigments used as a food colour.
- E141 Copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins A green colour made by replacing the magnesium at the centre of plant chlorophyll with copper.
- E150a Plain caramel The Class I caramel colour, made by heating sugars without ammonia or sulphite reagents.
- E150c Ammonia caramel The Class III caramel colour, made by heating sugars with ammonium compounds but no sulphite.
- E160c Paprika extract An orange-red colour extracted from the fruit of sweet paprika peppers.
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