The invention discloses a preparation method of a caramel
pigment without 4-methylimidazole. The preparation method comprises the following steps of: 1)
sugar-melting, to be specific, adding a
sugar source to a reaction kettle with a condensing and draining device while mixing, turning on a heating device for heating, melting the
sugar source after the temperature of the reaction kettle rises above the
melting point of the sugar source; 2) draining, to be specific, turning on condensing water, collecting cooling water, and controlling the volume of the cooling water to 5%-8% of the volume of the sugar source; 3)
caramelization reaction, to be specific, after draining is finished, changing a condenser
pipe into a cooling water return
pipe, and keeping at 150 DEG C to 170 DEG C for 1 h-2 h; 4) diluting (neutralizing), to be specific, before the
caramelization reaction is finished, adding an alkaline solution to the
reaction system slowly to adjust the pH value of the
system to be close to the
isoelectric point of the caramel
pigment, and mixing slowly and continuously until complete reaction is finished; 5) obtaining the product, to be specific, obtaining liquid caramel
pigment without 4-methylimidazole after the reaction. The preparation method of the caramel pigment without 4-methylimidazole is economical, practical, safe and high in quality, industrial production is realized, and quality of the caramel pigment is controlled.