Caramel colours--a historical introduction.

Caramel colours used in the manufacture of a wide variety of foods and beverages have been an item of commerce for more than one hundred years. The regulatory history of these additives in the US, the UK, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the EC is reviewed, and an introduction to the safety studies of caramel colours in this issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology is provided.