Table 2.

Caramels used as the food colour E150 and their preparation.

Additive Code	Designation	Preparation
E 150a	Plain Caramel, Caustic caramel	Controlled heating of carbohydrates with or without addition of acids or bases. No sulphite or ammonium compounds are used.
E 150b	Caustic Sulphite Caramel	Controlled heating of carbohydrates with or without addition of acids or bases, in the presence of sulphite compounds (a). No ammonium compounds are used.
E 150c	Ammonia Caramel	Controlled heating of carbohydrates with or without addition of acids or bases, in the presence of ammonium compounds (b). No sulphite compounds are used.
E 150d	Sulphite Ammonia Caramel	Controlled heating of carbohydrates with or without addition of acids or bases, in the presence of both sulphite and ammonium compounds (c).

(a) The sulphite compounds are sulphurous acid, potassium sulphite, potassium bisulphite, sodium sulphite and sodium bisulphite. (b) The ammonium compounds are ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate and ammonium phosphate. (c) The sulphite ammonium compounds are sulphurous acid, potassium sulphite, potassium bisulphite, sodium sulphite, sodium bisulphite, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulphate, ammonium sulphite and ammonium hydrogen sulphite.