Caramel

Caramel is produced by the controlled heating of food-grade sugars, a process known as caramelisation. Depending on the temperature reached and the duration of heating, it yields a range of shades from pale straw yellow to very dark brown. In the food supplement industry, it is primarily used as a natural colourant (E150a to E150d, depending on the manufacturing process), helping to standardise the visual appearance of capsules, tablets and drinkable solutions. Its use contributes to product consistency without altering their nutritional profile or efficacy. The various classes of caramel are assessed and regulated by European authorities (EFSA), which set acceptable daily intakes to ensure their safety. In the context of supplementation, caramel provides no functional properties of its own; it serves an exclusively technological and aesthetic role, ensuring visual homogeneity from batch to batch and helping consumers identify different dosage forms.