Foods Containing E150a (Plain Caramel)
E150a (Plain Caramel) is plain caramel colouring made by heating sugar — the most widely used food colouring in the world. Here's where you're most likely to find it on food labels.
Common foods that contain E150a
E150a is used across sweets, soft drinks, desserts, ice cream, sauces and snacks. The foods where it appears most often include:
- Cola drinks
- Gravy browning
- Beer and stout
- Sauces
- Bakery products
Exact usage varies by brand and recipe — the only way to know for certain whether a specific product contains E150a is to check its ingredients list, where it must be declared by law, either as "E150a" or as "Plain Caramel".
How to spot E150a on a label
In the UK and EU, additives must appear in the ingredients list with their function and either their E-number or full name — for example "food colourings: E150a" or "food colourings: plain caramel". In the US the E-number system isn't used, so look for the full name "Plain Caramel" instead.
Should you avoid foods containing E150a?
E150a is considered safe. It is authorised across the EU, UK and US, and safety evaluations by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have not identified health concerns at the levels used in food. For most people there is no reason to avoid E150a.
Full guide to E150a: safety, vegan and halal status →
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Additive data sourced from Open Food Facts (ODbL licence) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).