Process for separating caramel colors

A continuous process for producing ammonium sulphite caramel color having an acceptable flavor for beverage and food use which comprises caramelizing a carbohydrate solution to form high molecular weight color bodies, subjecting said caramelized solution to ultrafiltration through a semi-permeable membrane to give a permeated fraction and a retained fraction, said retained fraction comprising the high molecular weight color bodies, removing the color bodies, recovering the permeate, concentrating the permeate to at least 30% solids, adding fresh make-up reaction mixture to the reclaimed and concentrated permeate at least in an amount sufficient to make-up for the reaction mixture removed as color, recaramelizing the concentrated permeate and make-up reaction mixture to produce color bodies of acceptable flavor for beverage use, and repeating the color separation, recycle, and make-up steps a plurality of times.