Colour
E153 (vegetable carbon): what it is, its sources, vegan or not
E153 is vegetable carbon, a colour. E153 comes from plants. Vegan and vegetarian profiles get Fits you.
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By Bravoora teamUpdated Sources checked 4 sourcesHow we check
Fits you
for a vegan profile
E153=plants
What is E153?
E153 (vegetable carbon) is a colour, an additive that adds or restores colour in a food.
What is E153 made from?
Charcoal black, from burnt plant material. Not permitted as a food colour in the US.
- Plants
Is E153 vegan?
Fits you. E153 comes from plants. Nothing from an animal.
Bravoora is a calorie tracker and ingredient checker app. Scan a pack, a supplement or a skincare label and it answers for each person on your plan.
What the app says to each profile, and the reason it shows.
What other names does E153 have on a label?
Any of these on a pack means E153. The checker reads them all.
What would change the answer for E153?
For E153, only the ingredient list itself. A code the camera cannot read gets Needs one more scan, and the app never guesses a code it cannot see.
Sources: EU, US and Codex additive rules
Where additives are listed and approved. Bravoora reads the source and the diet; it does not rate the hazard.
- EU Regulation 1333/2008 on food additives (the E-number list)
- EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II: the allergen sources a label must name
- US FDA: Food Additive Status List
- FAO/WHO Codex: General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) online
Names and classes cross-checked with Open Food Facts (Open Database License).
Create a website profile with the things you avoid and the people you check for.
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