Alcuni studi selezionati per importanza sulle caratteristiche fisico-chimiche del caramello utilizzato come colorante in prodotti alimentari e sulla sua sicurezza.

Dietary intake assessment of caramel colours and their processing by-products 4-methylimidazole and 2-acetyl-4-tetrahydroxy-butylimidazole for the Chinese population.
Liang J, Cao P, Wang X, Gao P, Xu H, Ma N.
Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2019 May 17:1-11. doi: 10.1080/19440049.2019.1615137.

A U.S. population dietary exposure assessment for 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) from foods containing caramel colour and from formation of 4-MEI through the thermal treatment of food.
Folmer DE, Doell DL, Lee HS, Noonan GO, Carberry SE.
Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2018 Oct;35(10):1890-1910. doi: 10.1080/19440049.2018.1508892. Epub 2018 Aug 21.

Dialysed caramel as an effective fluorophore for the simultaneous detection of three nitrophenols.
Ma J, Bian L, Zhao L, Feng X, Zhao L, Wang Z, Pu Q.
Talanta. 2019 May 15;197:159-167. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.01.006.

Notes from the Field: Outbreak of Listeriosis Likely Associated with Prepackaged Caramel Apples - United States, 2017.
Marus JR, Bidol S, Altman SM, Oni O, Parker-Strobe N, Otto M, Pereira E, Buchholz A, Huffman J, Conrad AR, Wise ME.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019 Jan 25;68(3):76-77. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6803a5.

Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Caramel Apples by Use of Sticks Pretreated with Potassium Sorbate.
Carstens CK, Salazar JK, Bathija VM, Narula SS, Wang P, Tortorello ML.
J Food Prot. 2018 Dec;81(12):1921-1928. doi: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-18-175.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with in situ derivatization coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for the determination of 4-methylimidazole in red ginseng products containing caramel colors.
Lee J, Lee Y, Nam TG, Jang HW.
J Sep Sci. 2018 Sep;41(17):3415-3423. doi: 10.1002/jssc.201800559. 

Caramel colour and process contaminants in foods and beverages: Part II - Occurrence data and exposure assessment of 2-acetyl-4-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)imidazole (THI) and 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) in Belgium.
Fierens T, Van Holderbeke M, Cornelis C, Jacobs G, Sioen I, De Maeyer M, Vinkx C, Vanermen G.
Food Chem. 2018 Jul 30;255:372-379. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.02.013.

Sicurezza

Caramel color safety - An update.
Vollmuth TA.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2018 Jan;111:578-596. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.12.004.