Color additive

Caramel color (Class IV)

Also known as: caramel colour, Class IV caramel, sulfite ammonia caramel, ammonia-sulfite process caramel, E150d, E 150d, Caramel IV, Sulphite ammonia caramel

Caramel color Class IV (E150d) is a brown food coloring made by the ammonia-sulfite process and used widely in colas and other soft drinks, sauces, and processed foods. This manufacturing process can generate the byproduct 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), which is the focus of regulatory and toxicological scrutiny of this color class.

Is Caramel color (Class IV) safe? Is it banned or restricted? Below is the cited record — every claim linked to the regulator, study, or report that made it.

The charges against Caramel color (Class IV)

3 findings

Exhibit 01

Warning

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is adding 4-methylimidazole (CAS No. 822-36-6) to the list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer for purposes of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65). The listing of 4-methylimidazole is effective January 7, 2011.

California OEHHA added 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), a byproduct of ammonia-process caramel color, to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, effective January 7, 2011.

Tier 1 · RegulatoryUS-CACalifornia Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)· 2011-01-07

Exhibit 02

Concern

4-Methylimidazole is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies 4-methylimidazole as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).

Tier 1 · RegulatoryGLOBALIARC Monographs (WHO) via NCBI Bookshelf· 2013-01-01

Exhibit 03

Caution

Twelve brands of sodas and soft drinks from five manufacturers - including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Goya - were tested. Two products, Pepsi One and Malta Goya, exceeded 29 micrograms per can or bottle.

Consumer Reports lab-tested 12 soda/soft-drink brands and found 4-MEI in all products listing caramel color; Pepsi One and Malta Goya exceeded the 29-microgram California Prop 65 threshold per serving, while Coca-Cola products had the lowest levels.

Tier 3 · InstitutionUSConsumer Reports· 2014-01-23

Food Court reports publicly available findings from regulatory bodies, peer-reviewed research, and journalism. We cite every claim. We are not your doctor — we are a search engine for what's known about your food. Follow the links to the original sources.