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.
NORTH AMERICACabot Norit Americas, Inc.3200 University AvenueMarshall, Texas 75670USAT +1 903 923 1000F +1 903 923 1035
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICACabot Norit Nederland B.V.Astronaut 34 3824 MJ AmersfoortTHE NETHERLANDST +31 33 4648911F +31 33 4617429
ASIA PACIFICCabot China Ltd.558 Shuangbai RoadShanghai 201108CHINAT +86 21 5175 8800F +86 21 6434 5532
SOUTH AMERICACabot Brasil Industria e Comericio Ltda.Rua do Paraiso 148 – 5 andarSao Paulo 04103-000BRAZIL T +55 11 2144 6400F +55 11 3253 0051
Our sales, technical service and customer service teams are prepared to serve customers around the world.Contact us at cabotcorp.com/activatedcarboncontact
The NORIT name is a registered trademark of Cabot Corporation or its subsidiary. Bro
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INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
E 153 Colorants for Food and Cosmetics; RegulationsMany 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.
Markets for NORIT E 153 activated carbon colorants
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.
OUR NEWEST COLORING POWER NORIT® E 153ACTIVATED CARBON PRODUCT PORTFOLIOINCLUDING NORIT A ULTRA E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON
INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
Foods Activated carbon u Darkest black colorantu Color does not degrade over time
u Not solubleu Dusty
Caramel u Soluble u Color degrades over timeu Lower coloring power
Cosmetics Activated carbon u Dark black colorantu Good flow/rheology
u Dusty
Iron oxide u Lower priced than activated carbon u Not as black as activated carbonu Paste is heavy and has poor rheologyu Not a natural colorant
Best Worst
Application Product USA CAN EU S.Kor Japan China
Foods
Cosmetics
INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS INFOSHEET - NORIT E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON COLORANTS
Coloring powerOur 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.
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.
Particle sizeRheology 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.
PurityE 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).
All NORIT E 153 activated carbon colorants have abenzo(a)pyrene content of equal to or less than 5 ppb – thus our grades have lower PAH content thanthe requirement.
Benefitsu New highest coloring power NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon for applications requiring the darkest blacku Low, medium and high coloring power E 153 grades deliver desired color for foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticalsu NORIT E 153 product portfolio offers three distinct colorants and consistent lot-to-lot coloring poweru Narrow particle size distribution improves flow and rheologyu Purity consistent with stringent E 153 requirements
Application overviewVegetable 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.
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:
u Offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, moisture and storage conditions
u Correct natural variations in coloru Enhance colors that occur naturallyu Provide color to colorless foods/materialsu Make products more attractive and appetizingu Allow consumers to identify products on sight
(e.g. licorice)
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).
OUR NEWEST COLORING POWER NORIT® E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON PRODUCT PORTFOLIOINCLUDING NORIT A ULTRA E 153 ACTIVATED CARBON
Applications Products
Cosmetics
Eye-liner Mascara
Food colorants
Licorice Caviar
Figure 1
Figure 2
Parameters
Grade Coloring powerParticle size distribution Purity (PAH)
NORIT A ULTRA E 153
NORIT A SPECIAL E 153
NORIT SX SUPER E 153
Best Better Good
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbonParticle size reproducibility
Figure 4
D50
D10
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon (22 lots)
µmµm
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
00 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
Figure 5
E 153 regulatory allowable limits
Actual NORIT lots well below this level
NORIT A ULTRA E 153 activated carbon – Benzo(a)pyrene specification meets most stringent E 153
