Caramel III (ammonia caramel)
What you need to know
Caramel III is a dark brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonium compounds. It colours spreads, beers, sauces and baked goods.
Like Caramel IV, the manufacturing process can leave a trace by-product called 4-MEI, which is the reason regulators set intake limits for this class of colour.
EFSA set a group limit for all caramel colours, with a tighter individual cap for Caramel III. Typical diets stay well inside it.
Where it stands, by region
The same additive can be approved in one country and banned in another. This is the divergence that matters most.
| 🇦🇺AU / NZ | Approved Permitted (FSANZ Food Standards Code). |
| 🇪🇺EU | Approved Permitted; group ADI for caramel colours re-confirmed by EFSA (2011). |
| 🇺🇸US | Approved Permitted; California Prop 65 sets a 4-MEI warning threshold that prompted reformulations. |
| 🇨🇦CA | Approved Permitted (Health Canada). |
Health evidence
How settled the science is for each area — not how dangerous. “Unknown” means not enough good studies yet.
Class III caramel colour (ammonia process). EFSA (2011) set a group ADI of 300 mg/kg bw/day for caramel colours E150a–d, with an individual cap of 100 mg/kg bw/day for E150c. Trace contaminant: 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI).