Brown HT
A synthetic brown dye used in processed foods and baking
No single value: Brown HT is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, brown.
Brown HT is a man-made brown dye created from coal tar and classified as a diazo compound. It is mainly used to give a brown colour to foods, especially baked goods, as a substitute for cocoa or caramel. While permitted in the European Union, it is not allowed in several other countries.
- Brown HT is a synthetic brown food dye
- It is made from coal tar as a diazo compound
- Permitted in the European Union but banned in many countries
- Used to replace cocoa or caramel in processed foods
What colour is Brown HT?
Brown HT is a laboratory-made dye that gives a deep brown shade to foods. It is part of the diazo dye group, which means it contains two linked nitrogen atoms. Its brown tone is used to mimic the look of chocolate or caramel in processed foods. The colour stands out for its ability to create a stable, uniform brown that does not fade easily during baking or storage.
Where does Brown HT come from?
The name Brown HT comes from its colour and the initials used to identify it in food dye listings. It is also known by other names in the food industry, such as Chocolate Brown HT and Food Brown 3. The dye was developed as a synthetic alternative to natural brown colourants, making it possible to produce a consistent shade in large-scale food production.
How is Brown HT made?
Brown HT is produced from coal tar, a substance derived from coal. The process involves creating a diazo compound, which is a type of chemical structure common in synthetic dyes. This method allows manufacturers to make large amounts of the dye for use in the food industry.
Where Brown HT is used
This dye is mainly added to processed foods to give them a brown appearance, especially when cocoa or caramel are not used. It is commonly found in baked goods and other sweet or processed items. The European Union allows its use, but it is not permitted in a number of other countries.
Brown around the world
What the brown family means from country to country.
Brown is the colour of Nazism in German political speech, after the brown shirts of the party's stormtroopers. To call a view "brown" is to call it far right.
Politics and protestDanger and warningShameSource: SturmabteilungMasi is bark cloth beaten from paper mulberry and printed in brown and black. It is worn at weddings and funerals and given in ceremonial exchanges.
Sacred and holyWeddings and marriageSource: Tapa clothKuntunkuni is a dark brown mourning cloth of the Asante, dyed with tree bark. Adinkra cloth, stamped with symbols, was first made on such dark grounds for funerals.
Mourning and deathSadnessSource: Adinkra symbolsThe batik of the Javanese courts at Yogyakarta and Surakarta is dyed in soga brown with indigo and cream. Some court patterns were once reserved for the royal family.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: BatikBogolanfini, or mud cloth, is cotton painted with fermented river mud in browns, black and white. Hunters wear it for protection, and women after childbirth.
Protection and healingSacred and holySource: BògòlanfiniShades and relatives of Brown HT
Brown HT is sometimes confused with other brown food dyes, but it has its own chemical identity and E number (E155). It is also known by several industry names, which can lead to mix-ups with similar-looking additives.
Questions people ask about Brown HT
What colour is Brown HT?
Brown HT gives a strong brown shade, often used to create a chocolate-like or caramel appearance in foods.
Where does the name Brown HT come from?
The name refers to its brown colour and the initials used in food dye classification systems. It is also called Chocolate Brown HT and Food Brown 3.
What is Brown HT made from?
It is a synthetic dye produced from coal tar using chemical processes that create a diazo compound.
Is Brown HT allowed everywhere?
No, Brown HT is approved for use in the European Union but is banned in several other countries.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Brown HT", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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