Caramel colour III (ammonia process)

Caramel colour III (E150c) is produced by heat treatment of food-grade carbohydrates in the presence of ammonium compounds, but without sulphite compounds. The ammonia reacts with sugars during heating to produce a complex mixture of brown pigments with negatively charged colloidal properties, making it particularly suitable for certain baked goods, beer, and some sauces. Its production differs from plain caramel (E150a) by the deliberate addition of ammonium salts as reaction catalysts.

JECFA evaluated Caramel colour III in 1984 and established an ADI of 0–160 mg per kg body weight per day, expressed as caramel solids. For a 60 kg adult this represents a daily tolerable intake of 9,600 mg of caramel solids. No EFSA ADI value is recorded in the EFSA OpenFoodTox 3.0 database. The ammonia process introduces heterocyclic compounds including 2-acetyl-4(5)-tetrahydroxybutyl imidazole (THI), which was associated with immune system effects in animal studies, underpinning a stricter regulatory approach compared to plain caramel.

Caramel colour III is permitted in the EU and many other markets, though not approved for all food categories in all jurisdictions. Its use is less widespread than plain caramel (E150a) or the ammonia-sulphite process variant (E150d) in global food manufacturing. Regulatory approval varies by food category, and some jurisdictions apply purity specifications regarding the content of specific process contaminants. Consumers encounter it primarily in certain beer types and baked goods, but manufacturers must verify compliance with jurisdiction-specific permitted use levels.