Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black)
Function: Natural Color
E153 is the European food-additive number for Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black), a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black) (E153) is a natural color used as a food additive.
What is E153 used for?
Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black) (E153) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition.
Is E153 safe or restricted?
E153 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned.
Frequently asked questions about E153
- What is E153?
- E153 is the E-number for Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black), a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black) (E153) is a natural color used as a food additive.
- What is E153 used for?
- Vegetable Carbon (Carbon Black) (E153) is a colour — added to give or restore colour to food. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Is E153 vegan or vegetarian?
- It depends on the source. Many additives can be produced from plant, mineral, or animal-derived raw materials, and the ingredient list rarely states which was used. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product where it's known, instead of a blanket guess.
- Is E153 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E153 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E153 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it.