What does Caramel do?

Used in cosmetics as a colourant and a fragrance ingredient. Caramel is the concentrated solution obtained from heating sucrose or glucose solutions.

Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Caramel

CAS 1343-75-5 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 5 other CAS numbers

1343-76-6 · 1009080-01-6 · 1038587-78-8 · 1038587-80-2 · 8028-89-5

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Caramel in plain language

What it is: Also known as Ammonia caramel · Class I CARAMEL COLOUR · Class II CARAMEL COLOUR · Class III CARAMEL COLOUR · Class IV CARAMEL COLOUR · Caustic caramel
Show all 23 names
Class III Ammonia Caramel · Plain caramel · Caramel color · Caramel color 201 · Caramel color dye · Caramel iii · E 150A · Ins NO.150A · INS-150A · Rt 80 (colorant) · Sw 250 (colorant) · C.I. Natural Brown 10 · Caramel coloring · Caramel flavoring materials · Caramel pigments · Caramel-emulsified flavoring materials · caramelized sugar
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a colourant and a fragrance ingredient. Caramel is the concentrated solution obtained from heating sucrose or glucose solutions.
Colorant
Fragrance
Colour
Colourant
Solvent
Flavouring
Is it a concern?: Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

What the listings say

Permitted, with conditions — Caramel appears on published "allowed" regulatory lists rather than on a restriction list.

Caramel is listed in Annex IV of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (colorants allowed in cosmetic products).

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Caramel appears in these published regulatory listings.

EU Annex IV — permitted colorant
EU permitted colorant
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database9 entries — 3 administration routes
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Potency: 207 mg/5mlSource →
- Route: RECTAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: NASource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 0.26 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Potency: NASource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: NASource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 111.12 mg/5mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 11 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: GRANULE, FOR SUSPENSION; Potency: 2.5 mg/5mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: LIQUID; Potency: 5.3 mgSource →
EUCosIngActive2 entries
- Cosmetics Regulation annex IV / ref 146.Source →
- Caramel is the concentrated solution obtained from heating sucrose or glucose solutions. Restriction: IV/146Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E150a-d)
- Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E150a-d)Source →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionScientific opinion on the re-evaluation of caramel colours (E 150 a,b,c,d) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
- Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of caramel colours (E 150 a,b,c,d) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT SPECIFIEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: colour.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: colour.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-160 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-160 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-160 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-200 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-200 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-200 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 877 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning and safety, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Dye, Deodorizer, Fragrance.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 877 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning and safety, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Dye, Deodorizer, Fragrance.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.Source →
USUSDA FoodData Centralobserved in branded food ingredient statementsObserved in 3 USDA branded foods including 1 LITER BOTTLE BLACKCHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET BLACK CHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE ROOTBEER.
- Observed in 3 USDA branded foods including 1 LITER BOTTLE BLACKCHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET BLACK CHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE ROOTBEER.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of caramel colours (E 150 a,b,c,d) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
  2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: colour.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-160 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-200 mg/kg bw. Functional class: colour.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Caramel yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2020-08-14
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september 6, 2013
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
USDA Branded Foods
product_occurrence · updated 2026-02-19
Open →

Reference links (1)

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Caramel in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

877

Named organisations

Personal careCleaning and safetyCleaning products and household careConstructionFood and drug

Typical roles

ColorantFragranceColourColourantSolventFlavouring

See products using Caramel →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Caramel are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Caramel; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 272 →Find products without it →