Activated Carbon for food
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Activated Carbon for food
| Main purpose | Typical food applications | What the carbon actually does |
|---|---|---|
| Processing aid (adsorptive purification) | Sugar syrups, molasses, glucose/fructose, beverage-water, wine, spirits, juice, vinegar, edible oils, gelatin, glycerine | Its huge internal surface area (~800–1 200 m² g⁻¹) adsorbs colour bodies, off-odours, pesticide residues, polyphenols and trace organics, giving a clearer, more neutral base. |
| Intentional colour additive (E153 “vegetable carbon”) | Black bakery items, confectionery coatings, liquorice, gourmet cheeses (e.g. Morbier rind), ice-cream, burger buns, pasta | Provides a deep matte black hue; also alters perceived bitterness/sweetness balance in some products. |
Sugar refining – Powdered or granular activated carbon beds strip the yellow–brown pigments that survive lime/sulphitation, improving ICUMSA colour and flavour stability.
Beverage water – Soft-drink and brewery plants pass incoming water through carbon to remove chlorine/chloramine, micropollutants and earthy/phenolic notes before RO or ion-exchange.
Wine & spirits – Oenological carbons (very low ash) are dosed at 5–100 g hL⁻¹ to correct browning, smoke-taint volatiles or fusel oils; the slurry is then filtered out.
Other niche uses: deodorising vinegar, clarifying fruit juices, decolourising plant extracts, recovering flavours from scrap candy, etc.
Practical tip: Because all the carbon must later be removed, processors favour fine powders (easy to filter) or enclosed GAC columns that are steam-regenerated off-site.
| Jurisdiction | Legal position | Typical legal limits |
|---|---|---|
| EU/UK & many Codex-aligned markets | “Vegetable carbon (E153)” is on the positive list for colours; EFSA is currently updating its 2016 safety evaluation. | Quantum satis in specified foods (e.g. edible cheese rind, confectionery, bakery) provided it meets purity specs in Reg. (EU) 231/2012 (≤10 % ash, Pb ≤10 mg kg⁻¹, Hg ≤1 mg kg⁻¹, defined particle-size). |
| United States | Charcoal/vegetable carbon is delisted as a food colour; restaurants can still use it as a processing aid if it is filtered out, but not to colour the final food. | |
| Other regions | Many follow EU; always check local additive schedules and halal/kosher specifications. |
Adsorption is non-selective. Ingested carbon can bind water-soluble vitamins and up to 79 common drugs (e.g., acetaminophen, antidepressants, oral contraceptives), reducing their bioavailability.
Spacing rule: Nutritionists advise at least a 2–4 h gap between any charcoal-coloured food and critical medication.
Digestive effects: Occasional servings are generally well tolerated, but high, chronic intakes may cause constipation, dehydration or (rarely) bowel obstruction.
Regulatory specs minimise heavy-metal exposure. Use only food-grade, acid-washed carbons certified to the Food Chemicals Codex or equivalent.
| Task | Suggested use rate | Key processing points |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar decolourisation | 0.2–1 % w/w of dry solids in single-stage flow; lower if combined with ion-exchange | Maintain pH 6–7 and 70–80 °C for 15–30 min contact; follow with pressure filtration. |
| Wine smoke-taint removal | 10–30 g hL⁻¹ (PAC) | Bench-top trial first; fine filtration (0.45 µm) mandatory before bottling. |
| Black bakery dough | 0.4–1 % flour weight (if legally permitted) | Hydrate carbon in part of the water to prevent dusting; expect dough drying—adjust hydration. |
| Ice-cream / beverages | 0.1–0.3 % total mix | Stabilise with gums/emulsifiers to reduce settling; fill under laminar flow to avoid air entrainment. |
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