Activated Carbon — Hidden Processing Agent — Is It Vegan?
Also known as: Activated charcoal, Activated vegetable carbon (E153), Charcoal filter media
Vegan
No animals or animal-derived substances are involved in producing this agent.
Not required on labels
E153 (vegetable carbon) must be declared if used as a colourant. As a processing aid for filtration, it is not required on labels.
Source
Produced by controlled carbonisation and activation of plant-based materials (wood, coconut shells, bamboo) or coal. Plant-derived activated carbon is entirely vegan.
Used In
Water filtration, wine decolourisation and purification, beer clarification, spirit production (charcoal mellowing — Lincoln County Process used in Jack Daniel's), edible activated charcoal products.
How to Avoid
No need to avoid — plant-based activated carbon is vegan.
Editorial Notes
Activated charcoal has entered mainstream consumer food and beverage products as a trendy black colourant — black ice cream, black burger buns, black lemonade. The processing use in filtration (removing off-flavours, colours, and contaminants from beverages) is far more significant commercially. The Lincoln County Process, which filters Tennessee whiskey through sugar maple charcoal, is a famous example.