Class I, or Plain Caramel Colors, are comparable to E150a. Class I Caramel Colors are the most minimally processed of the four classes. The carbohydrate raw material is simply heated, and no ammonium or sulfite compounds are allowed in Class I production. The resulting Caramel Color carries a neutral to slightly negative ionic charge.
Class I Caramel Colors have become the fastest growing segment of Caramel Colors as they meet consumer demand for cleaner labels on the foods and beverages they consume. For example, although the world’s largest retailer of natural foods recently stated that Caramel Color “is acceptable as a natural color”, they prefer Class I offerings.
| Liquid Caramel Color | Powder Caramel Color |
| YT25 | SB116 |
| YT75 | RT175 (Best selling) |
| YT90 | RT198 |
| SSC300 (Made from cane sucrose) | OC234 (Organic) (Made from cane sucrose) |
| HF102 | SB245 (Made from cane sucrose) |
| SC105 | SRC-PS090 |
| OC114 (Organic) (Made from cane sucrose) | SRC1080 |
| SB121 (Made from cane sucrose) | SRC-YT90 |
| SRC-YT25 | |
| SRC1140 |