Activated carbon Avoid black foods

Consumer advocates warn against activated carbon in food

In the past, it has been criticized again and again that activated carbon is used in cosmetics, although the usefulness of this substance has not been clearly demonstrated. Meanwhile, medicinal coal is also often used in food. Consumer advocates, however, warn against such black foods.

An ingredient advertised as "natural"

Already for years there is a real hype about activated carbon. Especially now on Halloween you will find many black colored foods on the shelves: The spectrum ranges from smoothies to pizza to burgers. Consumers are promised a detoxifying effect or are lured by the idea of ​​being able to try something completely new. But as harmless as it seems, the trend around the advertised as "natural" ingredient is not, warns the consumer center Saxony-Anhalt in a statement.

Already for years with activated carbon colored foods such as burgers are offered. Consumer advocates, however, warn of the black food. (Image: grinchh / fotolia.com)

Activated carbon is not substance-specific

Activated carbon (also called medical coal) is carbon that remains after drying raw materials such as lime wood or coconut husks.

The heating creates a large surface area and the carbon gets its adsorbing effect, it becomes "active".

One gram of activated carbon covers a surface of 1,300 square meters and more. As a result, many substances are bound.

In medicine, activated carbon is used for poisoning and gastrointestinal problems, which is why it is advertised in other contexts as "detoxifying". The problem is that activated carbon does not have a substance-specific effect.

"Not only are toxins bound, but also other important ingredients present in the food, such as vitamins and minerals," says Tabea Dorendorf, Food Department of the consumer center Saxony-Anhalt.

Impairment of drugs

In addition, drugs may be impaired. In people who do not suffer from diarrhea, the intake of activated charcoal often leads to constipation, in the worst case to a bowel obstruction.

Although the amount of activated carbon used in food appear low at first glance, an activated carbon content of 0.4 percent, as found in a commercial 250 ml smoothie, corresponds to a total of about one gram of activated carbon.

"This means that a single smoothie contains approximately the drug dose of three to four activated carbon tablets," says Dorendorf. However, unlike medicines, there are no side effects warnings on smoothies. (Ad)