Caramel colors are amorphous, brown to brownish materials resulting from the carefully controlled heat treatment of food grade carbohydrates in the presence of small amounts of food grade acids, alkalis or salts. Caramel or black jack is a dark brown colour prepared by heating sugar until it is decomposed and then adding boiling water to form a thick syrup. Caramel will impart a distinctive flavour of burnt sugar.
Caramel is a well-known simple, brown means flavor and staple commercial material. It is an amorphous, dark-brown material that has been produced by the carefully controlled heat treatment of saccharine materials such as dextrose, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, molasses, sucrose, starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof, etc. The heavy-bodied, almost black syrup contains color, components that impart the amber shade found in carbonated beverages, pharmaceutical and flavoring extracts, candies, soups, bakery products, and numerous other foods.
Caramelization, the act of breaking up the natural sugar molecules in food to create a different flavor compound, makes everything taste better. Caramelization is one of the most important types of browning processes in foods. It is the interaction between sugar and sugar. Fructose and glucose are reducing sugars so they give their electrons to other molecules developing compounds which give caramel colors and flavors, viz; Diacetyl gives a buttery flavor, Furan gives a nutty flavor, Acetaldehyde gives a rum or cherry components flavor.
Few Indian Major Players are as under
• Aarkay Food Products Ltd.
• Dynemic Products Ltd.
• International Flavours & Fragrances (India) Ltd.
• Kancor Ingredients Ltd.
• Neelikon Food Dyes & Chemicals Ltd.
• Universal Starch-Chem Allied Ltd.
• Vidhi Dyestuffs Mfg. Ltd.
