Last week, we saw the devastation of a catastrophic failure of a pressure vessel (PV) in Louisville, KY. We still do not know the cause of this failure, just that it was a “cook vessel #6. SAFTENG members can see my breakdown of the photographic evidence available from the Courrier Journal (local Louisville newspaper). But this video is a “marketing” video from the company’s YouTube channel showing how the caramel is made. I do not know if this video is from the Louisville facility, but Louisville is the Corporate headquarters for this business division.
In the video, we can see pressure vessels where the carbohydrates are “cooked” using heat and pressure.
From Google AI on making how the business makes it’s Caramel Food Coloring: (Video at bottom of page)
Givaudan makes caramel color by heating carbohydrates in a controlled process to create a stable color for food and beverages:
- Choose a carbohydrate source
Givaudan uses a variety of sugars, including sucrose, fructose, glucose, and invert syrup, from sources like corn, wheat, sugar beets, and sugar cane. The type of sugar used depends on the desired caramel class and any certification requirements. - Cook the sugar
The sugar is loaded into large tanks where the temperature, time, and pressure are controlled to create the desired color and viscosity. Caramelization aids are added at specific times during the cooking process. - Cool and filter
Once the cooking is complete, the caramel is cooled and filtered to ensure quality and uniformity. - Dry into a powder
The caramel can be dried into a powder and packaged for use.
Givaudan acquired DDW, The Color House, a US-based natural color company, in 2021 to expand its Taste & Wellbeing business. DDW was founded in 1865 and has a strong position in the food and beverage industry.