Introduction Methods of analysis Recommendations References

4 E150c: Caramel class III

4.1 Introduction

The major food groups containing caramel Class III are sauces and condiments, soft and carbonated drinks, pies and pastries, desserts, soup and cakes. The ADI for ammonia caramel is 200 mgkg body weightday. There are four classes of caramel colours used as food additives and they are defined by the reactant added to the carbohydrate during production. The reactant used in the production of Class III caramels is ammonia and so the product is sometimes called ammonia caramel. 1

4.2 Methods of analysis

No references could be found for the analysis of caramel colour Class III in foods. The only reference that could be found was for the analysis of caramel colour Class III in general. This was an ion-pair HPLC and capillary electrophoresis method, developed to distinguish Class III caramels from Classes I and IV. 1 A summary of this method is given in Table 4.1.

4.3 Recommendations

This method produced a fingerprint peak that was present in only Class III samples and the observation of this fingerprint peak in foods could be used to indicate the presence of Class III caramel and permit a semi-quantitative estimation of the level of caramel in the foods. Therefore this method 1 needs to be further developed and applied to foods.

4.4 References

1 ‘Analysis for caramel colour Class III’, Coffey J S, Castle L. Food Chemistry 1994

51, 413–416.

E150c: Caramel class III 29 Table 4.1 Summary of methods for caramel class III Method Matrix Sample preparationextraction Method conditions Detection Reference IP-HPLC Caramels Sample dissolved in distilled water used HPLC: ODS-2 column with Photodiode 1 followed as is for HPLC method. gradient of 5 mM pentane- array at by CE For CE filtered through 2 µm syringe sulphonic acid in MeOH–H 2 O 275 nm filter before analysis. 5:95 [A] and MeOH [B] mobile phases at 1 mLmin, 20 µL injection Capillary electrophoresis: Open bore capillary column. 30 mM phosphate buffer pH 1.9 at 20 kV and 35 ºC. Injections in hydrokinetic mode, loading 1s. 5 E160b: Annatto extracts

5.1 Introduction