CARAMEL
CARAMEL is approved in cosmetics in the EU as a colourant — Annex IV, entry 146 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Review the permitted product categories and Safety Gate alerts.
Regulatory data checked on 2026-09-05. The legal status follows Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its annexes; the substance is identified from the European Commission's CosIng database.
About the ingredient
Caramel is the concentrated solution obtained from heating sucrose or glucose solutions.
EU regulatory status
Annex of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009: IV/146
What entry IV/146 of the Regulation says
Caramel
Source: the European Commission's official CosIng database and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products. How we assess ingredients — full methodology.
- View the entry in the CosIng database (European Commission)
- Open Regulation 1223/2009 in EUR-Lex
- Check the chemical profile in PubChem
Last updated:
Functions in cosmetics
Frequently asked questions
Is CARAMEL safe in cosmetics?
CARAMEL is included on the EU positive list of special-purpose additives (Annex IV – colorants, Annex V – preservatives, or Annex VI – UV filters of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). It may be used in cosmetics under the conditions laid down for the relevant annex: permitted product categories, maximum concentration and required warnings.
In which annex of Regulation 1223/2009 does CARAMEL fall?
CARAMEL falls under reference IV/146 in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. An annex entry may name a substance directly or cover it as part of a broader category. The first part (Roman numeral) indicates the annex: II – prohibited substances, III – substances restricted by conditions, IV – permitted colorants, V – permitted preservatives, VI – permitted UV filters.
What functions does CARAMEL perform in cosmetics?
According to the European Commission's CosIng database, CARAMEL performs the following functions in cosmetics: COLORANT, FRAGRANCE. Functions are defined in the CosIng glossary and describe the technological role of a substance in the finished product.
Are there Safety Gate alerts concerning CARAMEL?
Our copy of the EU Safety Gate database currently contains no alerts linking CARAMEL to a cosmetic recall. The database is refreshed regularly from the European Commission's official Safety Gate system.