Effect of processing conditions and exposure assessment of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in caramel colors

Caramel colors are an important class of colors used in the food production industry, especially within beverages, in the baking industry and confectionery industry. During the production of caramel colors unwanted contaminants can be formed including 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF), 2-acetyl-4(5)-tetrahydroxybutylimidazole (THI), and the isomers 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) and 2-methylimidazole (2-MI), however limited information exists on the relationship between the production parameters and these contaminants directly using industrial production recipes and parameters in a reactor scale production. Here, we present an optimized UPLC-MS/MS methods for determination of 5-HMF, 4-MI, THI, and 2-MI in caramel colors (E150a, c, and d) and we use the methods for the determination of these compounds in samples taken throughout the production of the caramel colors. The results revealed that a high color intensity correlates with a low contamination content of 5-HMF in the caramel color E150a and an exponential decrease in the caramel color E150d. Therefore, the color intensity can be used as an indicator for the contamination level in caramel color. Using the 5-HMF results for an exposure evaluation suggests for the caramel colors with high concentrations that there could be a risk for the consumer, however, could be reduced if optimized manufacturing process would be implemented in the industry. The main food categories contributing to 5-HMF exposure are non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, confectionary products, savory sauces and baked products that typically contain caramel color. These insights can inform production practices and regulatory approaches to enhance the safety and quality of caramel colors.