Plain Caramel
Function: Natural Color
E150A is the European food-additive number for Plain Caramel, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Caramel color or caramel coloring is a water-soluble food coloring.
What is E150A used for?
Plain Caramel (E150A) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all food colours (E-numbers).
Is E150A safe or restricted?
E150A is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as “Under monitoring” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E150A vegan or vegetarian?
Plain Caramel (E150A) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E150A?
E150A appears in 1,836 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pâté, pork (general) and ice cream.
- Pâté92
- Pork (General)68
- Ice Cream56
- Flavored Syrups54
- Instant Noodles48
- Caramel Candy46
- Sausages44
- Pastry39
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E150A across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E150A
- What is E150A?
- E150A is the E-number for Plain Caramel, a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Caramel color or caramel coloring is a water-soluble food coloring.
- What is E150A used for?
- Plain Caramel (E150A) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E150A?
- E150A appears in 1,836 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in pâté, pork (general) and ice cream. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E150A vegan or vegetarian?
- Plain Caramel (E150A) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E150A safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E150A is approved for use in the EU. It sits among the additives EFSA keeps under ongoing review as new evidence is published. Forkin classifies it as "Under monitoring" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E150A — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See view pricing.