Food additive databaseprocessing agentChecked 2026-10-02

Active Carbon 活性炭

Existing food additiveNot on the EU additive list

Purpose: processing agent
On the label: “活性炭” (activated carbon) (not listed when it counts as a processing aid)
Name in the List of Existing Food Additives: 活性炭 (No. 53)
Source and production: Obtained by carbonizing and activating a carbon-containing material. A black substance in the form of powder, granules, or fibers (specifications).

In Japan

A black substance obtained by carbonizing and activating a carbon-containing raw material. Its purpose in the List of Existing Food Additives is “製造用剤” (manufacturing agent). There are no standards for use.
Labeling is exempt when it counts as a processing aid, for example when it is removed during manufacturing.

Japan's standards for use

There are no standards for use that limit which foods or how much (the general standards for all additives still apply).

This is a summary of the standards for use. See the source list for the exact conditions.

In the EU

It is not on the EU list of food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II), so it cannot be used as a food additive in the EU.
EU Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on additives does not apply to processing aids (Article 2). Activated carbon is not on the EU additive list (vegetable carbon, E153, is listed separately as a colorant).

Sources

Checked 2026-10-02. Rules and evaluations change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.

This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies; it is not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. The ADI is a guide to the amount that is considered safe to take every day over a lifetime.

Other substances used as processing agent

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