INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
E 153 Colorants for Food and Cosmetics; Regulations
Many countries have determined that high purity activated carbon of vegetable origin is suitable for use in foods
and cosmetics as a black colorant. We offer three NORIT® E 153 activated carbon grades (E 153 Vegetable Carbon)
of 100% natural origin for use as a color additive in foodstuffs, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. All activated carbon
grades meet the stringent purity requirements for E 153 included in the E.C. regulations, Commission Regulation
231/2012. For cosmetics uses in the EU, E 153 is labelled as CI 77268:1. Compared to other materials used to impart
dark black color in foods and cosmetics, activated carbon is the superior product.
Applications
Colorants
Advantages
Foods
Activated carbon
u
Caramel
u
Cosmetics
Disadvantages
Darkest black colorant
u Color does not degrade over time
Activated carbon
Iron oxide
Soluble
u
Color degrades over time
Lower coloring power
u
Dusty
u
u
Dark black colorant
Good flow/rheology
u
Lower priced than activated carbon
u
Rank
OUR NEWEST COLORING POWER NORIT® E 153
ACTIVATED CARBON PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
INCLUDING NORIT A ULTRA E 153
ACTIVATED CARBON
Not soluble
u Dusty
u
Not as black as activated carbon
Paste is heavy and has poor rheology
u Not a natural colorant
u
u
Best
Worst
Markets for NORIT E 153 activated carbon colorants
Application
Product
USA
CAN
EU
S.Kor
Japan
China
Foods
Cosmetics
Regulations governing the use of color additives for cosmetics and other consumer products vary by country.
Companies purchasing activated carbon for use as a colorant should consult the local regulations in the region
in which they intend to sell their products to confirm compliance with any limitations on the types of applications
allowed, maximum amounts permitted and other regulatory requirements.
cabotcorp.com
NORTH AMERICA
Cabot Norit Americas, Inc.
3200 University Avenue
Marshall, Texas 75670
USA
T +1 903 923 1000
F +1 903 923 1035
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
Cabot Norit Nederland B.V.
Astronaut 34
3824 MJ Amersfoort
THE NETHERLANDS
T +31 33 4648911
F +31 33 4617429
ASIA PACIFIC
Cabot China Ltd.
558 Shuangbai Road
Shanghai 201108
CHINA
T +86 21 5175 8800
F +86 21 6434 5532
SOUTH AMERICA
Cabot Brasil Industria e Comericio Ltda.
Rua do Paraiso 148 – 5 andar
Sao Paulo 04103-000
BRAZIL
T +55 11 2144 6400
F +55 11 3253 0051
The data and conclusions contained herein are based on work believed to be reliable, however, Cabot cannot and does not guarantee that similar results and/or conclusions will be obtained by
others. This information is provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. No guarantee or warranty as to this information, or any product to which it relates, is given or implied. This
information may contain inaccuracies, errors or omissions and CABOT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AS TO (i)
SUCH INFORMATION, (ii) ANY PRODUCT OR (iii) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT. In no event is Cabot responsible for, and Cabot does not accept and hereby disclaims liability for, any damages
whatsoever in connection with the use of or reliance on this information or any product to which it relates.
The NORIT name is a registered trademark of Cabot Corporation or its subsidiary.
©2017 Cabot Corporation. All rights reserved worldwide.
Brochure NORIT E 153 AC colorants V2/2017
Our sales, technical service and customer service teams are prepared to serve customers around the world.
Contact us at cabotcorp.com/activatedcarboncontact
cabotcorp.com
INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
OUR NEWEST COLORING POWER NORIT® E 153
ACTIVATED CARBON PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
INCLUDING NORIT A ULTRA E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON
Benefits
u
New highest coloring power NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon for applications requiring the darkest black
u Low, medium and high coloring power E 153 grades deliver desired color for foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals
u NORIT E 153 product portfolio offers three distinct colorants and consistent lot-to-lot coloring power
u Narrow particle size distribution improves flow and rheology
u Purity consistent with stringent E 153 requirements
Application overview
Vegetable activated carbon is a black food colorant of natural origin, typically made from peat, wood or coconut
shells. A food colorant, or color additive, is any dye, pigment or substance that imparts color when it is added
to food or beverages. Colorants come in many forms, including liquids, powders, gels and pastes. Due to their
safety and availability, these colorants are also used in a variety of non-food applications such as cosmetics and
pharmaceuticals.
Eye-liner
Particle size
Rheology or the flow of colorant materials is important
as it enables consistent and reproducible coloring
power in end products. To deliver improved flow,
we have implemented very narrow particle size
distribution specifications (Figure 4).
All products are finely milled to provide consistently
fine and narrow particle size ranges.
Mascara
Food colorants
Licorice
Purity
E 153 colorants have strict purity specifications for
food additives and cosmetics (Commission Regulation
(EU) No. 231/2012). For example, Benzo(a)pyrene, a
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), must be less
than or equal to 50 ppb (µg/kg).
Figure 1
Parameters
Grade
Coloring power
NORIT
SX SUPER E 153
NORIT
A ULTRA E 153
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon
Particle size reproducibility
22
20
18
16
NORIT A SPECIAL E 153
10
8
6
4
D50
2
D10
0
Figure 4
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon (22 lots)
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon – Benzo(a)
pyrene specification meets most stringent E 153
regulations. Lot data shows very low values.
NORIT SX SUPER E 153
Better
12
0
All NORIT E 153 activated carbon colorants have a
benzo(a)pyrene content of equal to or less than
5 ppb – thus our grades have lower PAH content than
the requirement.
Best
NORIT
A SPECIAL E 153
Figure 3
Purity (PAH)
NORIT A ULTRA E 153
Figure 2
30-40
Low
14
Caviar
Particle size
distribution
50-60
Medium
Our highest coloring power grade NORIT® A ULTRA
E 153 activated carbon has an average Relative
Coloring Power (RCP) of 75 +/- 5. Our medium coloring
power grade NORIT A SPECIAL E 153 activated carbon
has an average RCP of 55 +/- 5. Our low coloring power
grade NORIT SX SUPER E 153 activated carbon has an
average RCP of 35 +/- 5.
Cosmetics
u
With the introduction of NORIT A ULTRA E 153
activated carbon, we now have a complete colorant
portfolio including low, medium and high coloring
power grades (Figure 2).
Products
70-80
High
µm
Offset color loss due to exposure to light, air,
moisture and storage conditions
u Correct natural variations in color
u Enhance colors that occur naturally
u Provide color to colorless foods/materials
u Make products more attractive and appetizing
u
Allow consumers to identify products on sight
(e.g. licorice)
Applications
NORIT E 153 activated carbon coloring specifications
Good
Benzo(a)pyrene (µg/kg)
The primary applications for our NORIT E 153
activated carbon colorants are food and cosmetics
(Figure 1). Colorants are used in these products for
many reasons, including:
Coloring power
Our product portfolio is comprised of three grades with
tight lower and upper coloring power specifications
(Figure 3). This allows customers to receive consistent
coloring power lot-to-lot, which is critical for
consistently achieving the desired color in formulations
and end products.
50
E 153 regulatory allowable limits
Actual NORIT lots well below this level
1.6 1.4 0.5 0.8 2.0 0.4 0.5 0.5 2.0 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.2 1.7 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2
Figure 5
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon (Lot data)