INS 150d is sulphite ammonia caramel, also called Class IV caramel. It is the cola caramel: made by heating sugar with both ammonia and sulphite reactants so the colour stays stable in acidic, fizzy drinks. It is the brown shade behind almost every cola sold in India. It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
INS 150d is sulphite ammonia caramel, also called Class IV caramel. It is the cola caramel: made by heating sugar with both ammonia and sulphite reactants so the colour stays stable in acidic, fizzy drinks. It is the brown shade behind almost every cola sold in India.
Brands use it because Class IV is the only caramel that holds its colour and clarity in acidic beverages without precipitating. That makes it the default for colas, dark soft drinks, soy sauce, and acidic brown sauces. Other caramels would cloud or settle out.
INS 150d commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Class IV caramel is made by heating plant-derived carbohydrates with sulphite and ammonium compounds. No animal product is used in its manufacture.
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 as a colour for specified food categories with category-specific limits. Codex specifications cap residual 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) at max 1000 mg/kg (and max 250 mg/kg on an equivalent colour basis); FSSAI follows Codex specifications. The IARC classifies 4-MEI as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) based on animal data; the cap on residual 4-MEI in food-grade caramel is the regulatory response.
JECFA: ADI 0-200 mg/kg body weight for Class IV sulphite ammonia caramel (0-150 mg/kg bw on solids basis), established at 29th JECFA (1985). Specifications updated at 74th JECFA (2011) including 4-MEI specifications.
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 150d is also called:
Last verified: 2026-04-30.