Artificial Caramel Flavour

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Artificial caramel flavour is a synthetic formulation of chemical compounds—including diacetyl (butane-2,3-dione), furaneol (DMHF), maltol, and related Maillard-reaction analogues—engineered to mimic the sweet, buttery, toasty aroma and taste of caramelised sugar. It is used at trace levels in confectionery, beverages, baked goods, dairy products, and snack foods to deliver consistent caramel character without the variability of natural caramelisation.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

At typical dietary intake levels, the constituent compounds of artificial caramel flavour are considered safe by the FDA under 21 CFR 172.515 and evaluated as GRAS by the FEMA Expert Panel. However, diacetyl—a prominent component—is well-documented to cause obliterative bronchiolitis ('popcorn lung') in food-manufacturing workers exposed to high inhalation concentrations, raising scrutiny even at lower consumer-level exposures from heated products. No ADI has been established for the mixture as a whole; the chemically distinct caramel colour additives (E150a–d) carry an EFSA group ADI of 300 mg/kg bw/day, and EFSA noted high-consuming children and adults may approach or exceed individual class ADIs.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Permitted as a flavouring substance under FSANZ Food Standards Code Standard 1.3.1. Flavouring substances must meet JECFA or FEMA GRAS criteria; no specific ADI established for the mixture.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Regulated as a food flavouring under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. Individual caramel-type flavouring substances are evaluated under EFSA's Flavouring Group Evaluation programme. No E number is assigned to artificial caramel flavour as a formulated mixture; individual components may be listed in the Union list of flavouring substances.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Permitted as an artificial flavouring substance under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 3.3.1(1). FSSAI defines artificial flavouring substances as those not identified in natural products intended for human consumption. Mandatory labelling as 'artificial' required under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; the common name of the flavour (e.g., 'caramel') must be declared on the label.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Regulated as synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants under 21 CFR 172.515. Key component compounds—diacetyl (FEMA 2370), furaneol (FEMA 3174), maltol (FEMA 2656), ethyl maltol (FEMA 3487)—hold individual GRAS status via the independent FEMA Expert Panel. Used at GMP levels; no compound-specific ADI established for the mixture.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Children — Children have a higher dietary intake relative to body weight; EFSA (2011) specifically noted that high-consuming children may approach or exceed the ADIs for related caramel compounds (E150a, E150c, E150d).

Pregnancy — Insufficient data exists on the developmental effects of diacetyl and related synthetic Maillard-analogue compounds at foetal exposure levels; precautionary minimisation of synthetic flavour additives is generally advised during pregnancy.

Other — Individuals with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other respiratory hypersensitivities should be cautious, as diacetyl in heated artificial-caramel flavoured products has documented respiratory irritant properties even at consumer exposure levels.

Ibs — Synthetic flavour compounds such as diacetyl and furfural present in artificial caramel formulations may act as gastrointestinal irritants and could exacerbate symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Synthetic Flavoring Substances and Adjuvants – 21 CFR Part 172.515. ecfr.gov
2other. FEMA GRAS Program – Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association. femaflavor.org
3EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of caramel colours (E 150 a, b, c, d) as food additives, 2011. efsa.europa.eu
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 3, Regulation 3.3.1, 2011. fssai.gov.in
5PubMed. Spirometry in workers exposed to flavoring chemicals in microwave popcorn production (Kreiss et al., J Occup Environ Med, 2002), 2002. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations