About Caramel Brown Colors

Caramel colors being extensively used as a coloring substance in the food products also work as an emulsifying agent. One can find several uses of caramel colors in various food items that have a texture of pale yellow and dark brown in them. Common examples include brown bread, cookies, chocolates, puddings and also in soft drinks like cola etc. They are primarily used to impart the dark brown color to the food and the beverages that adds aroma and flavor to them. Far and wide they are used in the food products all across the globe but the extent of use may vary from one place to the other depending upon the restrictions imposed by regulatory bodies.

Preparation:

Caramel colorants are the end results of the process called ‘caramelisation’. They are manufactured by heating the carbohydrates with or without acids, alkalies and/or salt and also with the use of artificial sweeteners containing fructose, dextrose, sucrose etc. Caramel colorants come in both the liquid and the powdered form.

Classification:

Caramel colors are highly popular and in use for a long time now and are used on a large scale, all over the world. The caramel colors can be classified into four categories:

• Class 1 - Plain Caramel :

  Sulfite and the Ammonium compounds are not used while preparing class 1 caramel color. This category of caramel is used in whisky, rum and other high spirited alcohols.

• Class 2 - Caustic sulfite caramel :

  Sulfite compounds are used but no ammonium amalgams are used. This category is used for wine and some vinegars etc.

• Class 3 - Ammonia caramel :

  Also known as beer caramel is used in beer, confectionery and is prepared using ammonium compounds and sulfite compounds are avoided.

• Class 4 - Sulphite ammonia caramel :

  This category involves both ammonium and sulfite and is majorly used in soft drinks like cola etc.

Things to consider

As mentioned above caramel colors are used as a coloring agent and the percentage of caramel required to impart the desired color is usually so low that the quantifiable impact on nutritive value of it will be almost equal to nil. People who are allergic to glucose or lactose are recommended to stay away from food items containing caramel colorants and ascertain well before purchasing any product containing caramel as it would help them avoid any kind of allergic reactions and sensitive consequence.

The growing demand for Caramel Colors in India has prompted the Manufacturers and Suppliers to experiment and come up with better varieties that can produce better hues while having negligible on flavor and aroma.