What are the most common test methods for Caramel Color?
Caramel Color undergoes strict laboratory testing to assure product quality. The three major laboratory tests to standardize a production lot of Caramel Color are: • Color Strength (Tinctorial Power): defined as the absorbance of a 0.1% solution (weight/volume) in water, measured using a 1 cm light path at a wavelength of 560 nanometers. • Baumé: measures density or specific gravity at a given temperature. • pH: for Liquid Caramel Color it is measured on an “as is basis”, and for Powdered Caramel Color is measured on a 1% basis. Several other parameters are important in the measurement of Caramel Color including Viscosity, Hue Index, Resinification, Haze & Gel, Alcohol Solubility, Salt Stability, and Beer Test. • Viscosity is the flow ability of a liquid. Thick products carry a high viscosity. This often reflects the quality and the shelf life of a Caramel Color but is not related to a Caramel Color’s Color Strength. • Hue Index is a measure of Caramel Color’s red tones, and is calcula
