Vegetable Carbon (E153): A Comprehensive Overview for Food Industry Professionals
Abstract
Vegetable carbon (E153) serves the food industry as an effective natural black color, offering a solution when a deep black hue is needed in products. Its production from plant sources like wood and coconut shells, through carbonization and careful purification, yields an essentially pure carbon pigment that is flavorless, stable, and versatile. From licorice candies and gourmet cheeses to baked goods and novelty beverages, E153 enables creative visual appeal while maintaining clean-label credentials. Industry professionals value its thermal and pH stability, and the availability of user-friendly liquid dispersions makes it straightforward to incorporate into various formulations.
On the regulatory front, E153 is approved in Europe and many other markets with stringent purity standards, whereas in the U.S. it remains off-limits for now. Safety assessments by JECFA and EFSA affirm that vegetable carbon is not a health concern when properly produced (with negligible PAHs and contaminants). Compliance with these standards and transparent labeling are key for manufacturers using this color.
In summary, vegetable carbon stands as a technically reliable and regulatory-acknowledged food color for achieving black tones. Its successful use hinges on good manufacturing practice – both in its production (to ensure a high-purity pigment) and in its application (to disperse it uniformly in foods). When these conditions are met, E153 allows food developers to introduce bold black aesthetics in a safe, natural-origin way, expanding the palette of what’s possible in food design while meeting consumer and regulatory expectations.
Origin and Natural Sources of Vegetable Carbon
Natural origin: Vegetable carbon (also called vegetable black or carbon black) is obtained by the carbonization (incomplete burning) of vegetal matter such as wood, peat, coconut shells, and other plant . In essence, these raw materials are heated in a low-oxygen environment at high temperatures until they char, yielding a product that consists essentially of finely divided. The resulting pigment is an odorless, tasteless black powder composed mostly of elemental carbon, with minor traces of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen from the plant. Because it is sourced from plants (not petroleum), E153 is generally suitable for vegetarian and vegan applications, and is considered a natural colorant in the sense of being derived from natural sources.
Classification: In the international food additives numbering system, vegetable carbon is INS No. 153 and in Europe it carries the designation. It is classified as a color additive (technologically a coloring agent) of natural origin. Unlike many other pigments, E153 is insoluble in water and solvents – it remains as fine particles that must be suspended or dispersed in the food. This distinguishes it as an inorganic pigment (carbon being an element-based material) rather than a dye that dissolves. Historically, carbon black pigments have been used in various domains (e.g. inks, paints, medicinal charcoal), but E153 specifically refers to the vegetable-derived grade for food.
History of use: Charcoal from plant sources has an ancient history of use for human health – for example, as a remedy for indigestion and poisoning – and this long medicinal use demonstrated its inertness and safety in the body. In foods, vegetable carbon began seeing use as a coloring in the 20th century for specialty products requiring a true black color. It has been evaluated by safety authorities since the 1970s, with the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) first assessing it in 1970 and the EU’s Scientific Committee for Food in. These early evaluations concluded that vegetable carbon posed no significant risk, paving the way for its approval in Europe and other regions. E153 has been formally authorized as a food additive in the EU for decades, whereas in the United States its use in foods has never been approved (details on regulatory status are discussed later). Today, vegetable carbon remains the principal option for a natural black pigment in the food industry, aside from certain niche ingredients like squid ink or dark cocoa.
Production Process of Vegetable Carbon
Producing food-grade vegetable carbon involves several controlled steps to ensure a high-purity, fine black pigment. The industrial manufacturing process typically includes carbonization, activation, purification, and formulation:
Carbonization (Charring): Selected plant-based raw materials (e.g. wood chips, coconut shells, nut shells, bamboo, peat) are heated in kilns or retorts at high temperature under limited oxygen, causing them to char into. This pyrolysis process drives off volatile compounds and leaves behind a carbon-rich matrix. The carbonization conditions (time, temperature, atmosphere) are carefully controlled to produce a consistent charcoal with minimal residual tars.
Activation (Oxidation): In many cases, the charcoal is further “activated” by exposing it to oxidizing gases like steam or carbon dioxide at elevated. Steam activation burns off a portion of the carbon and creates a porous internal structure with a very high surface area. For coloring purposes, activation helps remove impurities and can deepen the black hue by increasing light absorption. The result is a form of activated vegetable carbon, similar to medicinal activated charcoal, but intended for use as a color. (Not all E153 is heavily activated; mild activation is often used just to improve purity and particle properties.)
Purification: The carbonized material undergoes purification steps to meet strict food-grade specifications. This may include acid washing and rinsing to eliminate soluble inorganic ash, metals, or other contaminants. The importance of purification is reflected in standards: for example, JECFA requires food-grade vegetable carbon to have ash content ≤4% and very low heavy metals (lead under 2 mg/kg).Modern producers use advanced purification to achieve “practically zero impurities,” yielding a pigment with minimal contaminants and high coloring power. Purification also involves testing for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are potential carcinogens formed in incomplete combustion. Food-grade E153 must have extremely low PAH levels (EFSA recommends <1 µg/kg of benzo[a]pyrene, a marker PAH).
Milling (Micronization): The purified charcoal is then milled into a fine powder. High shear grinding or jet-milling is used to achieve micron or sub-micron particle sizes, producing a smooth, very black powder that disperses uniformly. Fine particle size is critical for good coloring performance and to avoid grittiness. (Regulators have noted that particles should not be so small as to be nanoparticulate; specifications may explicitly exclude particles <100 nm to avoid any nano-material)
Dispersion/Formulation: Finally, the powdered vegetable carbon is either sold as is (a dry powder) or formulated into liquid dispersions for easier use. Many food manufacturers prefer liquid or paste forms of E153, where the fine carbon is pre-suspended in a carrier. Common carriers include glucose syrup or glycerin, sometimes with thickeners or emulsifiers to keep the carbon evenly. For example, one commercial preparation suspends activated vegetable carbon in glucose syrup (with a bit of water and potassium hydroxide) to create a viscous black liquid. Glycerol-based dispersions are also available for fat-based or water-sensitive applications, often stabilized with gums (e.g. acacia) to prevent. These ready-to-use dispersions (typically ~20–50% carbon solids) eliminate dust and make dosing and mixing more convenient on industrial lines.
Through these steps, manufacturers obtain a highly concentrated black pigment that meets food safety standards. The resulting E153 product is a very stable colorant: it is insoluble and chemically inert, resistant to heat, light, and pH changes, which ensures the black color remains robust through typical food processing conditions.
Use in the Food Industry: Functional Roles and Applications
Vegetable carbon’s primary role in foods is as an intense black coloring agent. It imparts a deep black or gray shade to products, often where other natural colors cannot achieve sufficient darkness. Because it is flavorless and heat-stable, E153 is used purely for visual appeal and does not affect taste or stability of the food (aside from its color and opacity).
Key applications: E153 finds use across a range of food and beverage categories, typically in products that either are traditionally black in color or where a novelty black appearance is sought. Some common applications and real-world examples include:
Confectionery and Decorations: Widely used in candies, gums, and cake decorations. For instance, black licorice products and black jelly beans often use vegetable carbon for their dark. It is also used in fondant, icings, and edible cake decor (like black lettering or figurines) to achieve true black tones that natural plant extracts (e.g. charcoal grey from other colors) cannot match.
Bakery and Pastry: Used in specialty baked goods and desserts. Examples include black macarons, cookies, or pastries where a dramatic appearance is desired. Charcoal burger buns or pizza crusts (trending in some markets) also use E153 for coloration. In fine bakery, it’s sometimes blended with cocoa to make extra-dark chocolate cakes or brownies. Note: E153 is often blended with other colors to create shades like “black velvet” (mixing with reds) or to deepen browns, since even a small addition can significantly darken a color.
Cheese and Dairy: Employed in cheese coatings and rinds and certain dairy-based desserts. A classic example is the traditional English cheese with a black wax rind, where vegetable carbon gives the wax or coating its black. Another is Morbier cheese in France, which historically has a black stripe of vegetable ash – modern production can use food-grade vegetable carbon to recreate that. Black-colored ice creams or yogurts (a niche trend) also use E153 for a striking appearance.
Savory and Processed Foods: Used in imitation caviar (fish roe substitutes), fish paste, and savory sauces or seasonings. Lumpfish roe, for example, can be dyed black with E153 to resemble sturgeon. Some meat analogues or charcuterie products might use a touch of vegetable carbon (for instance, to give a darker casing color on vegetarian sausages or to blacken a sauce). It is allowed in certain condiments, pickles, and tinned goods where a dark coloration is – though in practice this is less common.
Beverages and Novelty Drinks: Although adding an insoluble powder to drinks can pose challenges (sedimentation), E153 is sometimes used in liqueurs, bitters, or “goth” beverages for a visual effect. For example, some cocktail artists have incorporated vegetable carbon in specialty cocktails to create a jet-black drink for theatrical. In flavored drink products (like black lemonade or certain herbal drinks), E153 can be used at low levels with stabilizers to maintain the. Similarly, edible ices and frozen desserts may use it to achieve a black color (e.g. a black sorbet or popsicle).
In all these applications, vegetable carbon provides a neutral, stable black. It does not fade with heat or light the way some natural dyes do, and it is inert so it usually does not interact with other ingredients. However, because it is a fine particulate, it can lend a slight opacity or turbidity to mixtures (for solid foods this is irrelevant, but in clear beverages it will turn them opaque). Typically, the amounts used are small (often on the order of 0.1% or a few grams per kilogram of product) since the coloring power is high – a little can produce a deep gray to black. Indeed, E153 is rarely used alone at full strength to color an entire food pitch-black (except in things like licorice where that is the goal); more often, formulators use it to augment or adjust color (for example, giving a darker tint to chocolate or to create shadow effects in a multi-color confection).
Functional considerations: One ancillary property of vegetable carbon is its adsorptive surface (as an activated charcoal). In food use, the concentrations are low enough that it generally does not bind significant nutrients or affect flavor. Still, manufacturers are mindful that very high doses of charcoal could adsorb certain flavors or actives – this is more a consideration in dietary supplement uses of charcoal than in coloring foods, but it underscores why usage is kept to the necessary minimum. Notably, because E153 is inert and not absorbed in the gut, it also doesn’t contribute calories or interact chemically with food components (it remains as dispersed particles). This inertness is a benefit for clean labeling (no known adverse reactions apart from those due to impurities).
Formats and Integration into Production
Powder vs. liquid forms: Food manufacturers can choose between powdered E153 or pre-dispersed liquid forms, depending on their process needs. Powdered vegetable carbon (a fine black powder) is typically used in dry mix applications – for example, if formulating a dry baking mix or a powdered beverage mix, the carbon can be blended in. It has the advantage of 100% color concentration, but it is very fluffy and prone to dusting. Operators must handle it carefully to avoid airborne black dust and cross-contamination. When using the powder, a common practice is to premix it with other dry ingredients for uniformity, or to slurry it in a small amount of liquid (water, oil, etc.) before adding into large batches to ensure even dispersion.
By contrast, liquid dispersions of E153 are popular for high-precision or continuous production environments. These typically contain a fixed concentration of vegetable carbon suspended in a syrup or glycerine. The liquid form can be pumped, metered, or injected directly into a product stream, allowing for automated dosing (e.g. on a production line making candy or coloring a coating, a pump can add a set volume to each batch). The dispersions are formulated to be pourable yet viscous enough that the carbon doesn’t settle quickly. For instance, a glucose syrup-based E153 solution will be thick and may include stabilizers (like gum acacia or cellulose) to keep the carbon evenly. Glycerin-based versions are useful for recipes where water must be limited (such as chocolate or fat-based coatings); they often include an emulsifier (like lecithin) to help the charcoal disperse uniformly in fatty.
Integration into production lines: In practice, incorporating E153 is straightforward but benefits from a few best practices:
Mixing: Because vegetable carbon is insoluble, adequate mixing is crucial. In liquid product manufacturing (sauces, beverages), tanks with agitators are used to keep the pigment suspended until filling. In solid or semi-solid products (doughs, candies), thorough mixing ensures the tiny black particles are evenly distributed for a uniform color. Clumping is usually not an issue due to the small particle size, but any agglomerates can be prevented by premixing the color with a minor ingredient.
Equipment and Cleaning: The intense black color can stain processing equipment and surfaces temporarily. Equipment that handles E153 (mixers, pumps, pipes) should be designed for easy cleaning (CIP systems can remove residual charcoal with alkaline or detergent washes). Manufacturers note that using liquid dispersions reduces airborne dust and makes cleanup easier than handling raw powder. Nonetheless, after production, a visual inspection is important as even a trace of leftover carbon could tint the next product batch. Proper flushing of lines and tanks avoids “carry-over” of black specs into non-colored products.
Advantages of predispersed forms: Using a dispersion improves accuracy and consistency – each aliquot of the liquid contains a known amount of pigment, simplifying scaling. Also, liquid forms can improve color development since the carbon is already well-distributed; the formulator doesn’t need to worry about dry powder clinging to vessel walls or floating before wetting. This can be especially important in high-speed manufacturing where there’s little time for a powder to hydrate or distribute. Some suppliers highlight that their pre-milled, stabilized carbon dispersions offer higher tinting strength and performance than raw charcoal, thanks to optimal particle size and.
In summary, integration of E153 into food production is generally hassle-free, provided attention is paid to dispersion and cleanliness. Its chemical inertness means it does not react with recipes, so formulators mostly focus on the physical aspects of mixing. With appropriate format choice (powder vs. liquid) and good manufacturing practices, vegetable carbon can be used efficiently to deliver consistent, uniform black coloration in a variety of food products.
Regulatory Status and Safety Considerations
European Union: In the EU, vegetable carbon (E153) is an approved food additive under Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. It is permitted in specific food categories at quantum satis, meaning no fixed maximum level – use is allowed at the lowest level necessary to achieve the coloring. Typical categories include confectionery, fine bakery wares, desserts, cheese rind/coatings, snack foods, sauces, and fish roe, among others (it is not authorized in infant foods). EU specifications for E153 are defined in Commission Regulation (EU) 231/2012, which sets purity criteria (e.g. carbon content ≥95% on ash-free basis, limits on heavy metals, etc.). The EU requires that labels list it as “E153” or “Vegetable carbon” in the ingredients statement when.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluated E153 in 2012 as part of a systematic re-review of older additives. EFSA did not establish an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) due to insufficient toxicological data, but importantly found no safety concern for its continued. The panel noted that vegetable carbon is not absorbed from the gut and is essentially inert, and that even high supplementary doses (as used in medicinal charcoal) did not cause toxic. A potential risk factor considered was the presence of PAHs (like benzo[a]pyrene) because certain carbon blacks from petroleum sources had shown carcinogenicity linked to PAHs. However, EFSA determined that as long as food-grade E153 contains <1.0 µg/kg of carcinogenic PAHs (expressed as benzo[a]pyrene), the margins of exposure are large and it “is not of safety concern” at typical use. EFSA did recommend some refinements to specifications – notably, adding a stricter PAH limit and lowering allowable heavy metal content (e.g. lead limit was advised to tighten from 10 mg/kg to 2 mg/kg in line with JECFA). They also highlighted the need to exclude nanoparticles of carbon in the additive, suggesting a specification that E153 should not contain material with primary particle size <100. These suggestions were geared toward ensuring the additive remains a conventional pigment and not an engineered nanomaterial. Overall, the EU stance is that E153 is safe under current usage conditions, and it remains on the EU’s authorized additives list with periodic monitoring of purity.
United States: In the U.S., vegetable carbon is not approved as a color additive for human food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never included carbon black or vegetable charcoal on its list of permitted food colorants (either certified or exempt from certification), and thus any use in food would require a regulatory approval that is currently. In practical terms, this means that foods containing E153 cannot be legally marketed in the U.S. and imported products found to have it may be refused entry. This policy came into the spotlight in recent years with trendy “charcoal” foods (like charcoal lemonades and black ice creams) – the FDA intervened, noting that activated charcoal is not an approved food additive and must be removed from restaurant. The FDA’s position is precautionary, citing that qualified experts have not generally recognized charcoal as safe for coloring purposes pending more. It is worth noting that FDA does allow “activated charcoal” as an ingredient or processing aid in certain non-color uses (such as filtration or in over-the-counter drugs for adsorption), but not specifically as a color in foods. Interestingly, vegetable carbon is allowed in pet foods in the U.S. (e.g. to color dog biscuit treats), which falls under separate. For human food use, companies would need to petition the FDA with safety data to get E153 approved or gain a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status for specific uses – as of 2025, no such approval exists, mainly due to lingering concerns about PAH impurities and the lack of incentive or data package submitted to FDA. Consequently, U.S. food manufacturers achieve black colors by blending other FDA-approved dyes (e.g. combining multiple certified colors to approximate black) rather than using vegetable carbon.
International/JECFA: The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated vegetable carbon multiple times. JECFA did not assign an ADI (acceptable daily intake), effectively classifying it in the “ADI not specified” category, which implies safety at levels needed in. JECFA’s specifications (latest revision in 2002) mirror the EU’s in requiring high carbon content and low. Notably, JECFA includes a test to ensure minimal PAHs: the specification calls for extracting the carbon with cyclohexane and checking that the extract has no fluorescence, ensuring that PAH content is extremely. Many countries align with JECFA/Codex Alimentarius provisions. For example, Australia and New Zealand permit E153 as a food color (listed as additive 153) in a variety of. Canada also allows carbon black as a color additive in certain foods at good manufacturing practice levels, as reflected in Health Canada’s List of Permitted Colouring. In these jurisdictions, the use of vegetable carbon is common and considered safe, provided it conforms to the purity criteria.
Labeling and consumer information: In markets where E153 is allowed, labeling laws usually require the additive to be listed by name or number. In the EU, the ingredient must appear as “vegetable carbon” or E153 on. There are generally no special warning labels associated with E153 (unlike some synthetic colors that carry warnings about hyperactivity in children). Because it is derived from plant sources, it is accepted in products with “natural” positioning, although some consumers may perceive “charcoal” as unusual in food. For that reason, manufacturers sometimes label it simply as “vegetable carbon” or even “vegetable charcoal” to emphasize its origin. From a dietary perspective, E153 is vegan and allergen-free (provided no carriers or processing aids introduce allergens). Regulators have not noted any intolerance or adverse effects tied to E153 itself; any risk would come from contamination, which strict quality control is designed to prevent.
Safety summary: Both historic use and modern evaluations support that vegetable carbon is a low-risk additive. It passes through the digestive system without being absorbed, and is considered pharmacologically and toxicologically. Toxicity studies have not indicated any carcinogenic or genotoxic effects from the charcoal itself at the doses relevant to food use. The main safety focus is on making sure the manufacturing process is well-controlled – achieving high purity (to avoid heavy metal residues) and ultra-low PAH levels (to negate any carcinogen presence). Manufacturers today adhere to food-grade standards (often referencing Food Chemical Codex and EU specs) to ensure these criteria are. As long as those safeguards are in place, regulatory bodies in the EU, Canada, and many other regions consider E153 safe for the consumer. Ongoing monitoring (such as the EFSA call for data in 2020) indicates authorities’ commitment to verify that modern vegetable carbon additives meet the evolving purity requirements and contain no nanoparticles or unexpected impurities.