E153 — Vegetable carbon

No concern

E153 (Vegetable carbon) raises no animal-source question. A dense black colour made by charring plant material.

Why it raises no question

The plant origin is the point: bone char is a different material from animals, and this is not it.

Where you meet it

Black sweets, novelty bakery, cheese rinds.

What to do in the shop

Nothing special to do for E153 itself. Read the rest of the list: a product is only as clear as its least clear ingredient.

A status here describes the additive in general — a specific product can be different. The same number can be made from plant or animal material depending on the manufacturer, and the label does not say which.

Questions people ask

Is E153 halal?

E153 (Vegetable carbon) raises no animal-source question, so on its own it is not a problem. The rest of the ingredient list still decides the product.

What is E153 made from?

The plant origin is the point: bone char is a different material from animals, and this is not it.

Related additives

E161b — Lutein · No concern
E162 — Beetroot red (betanin) · No concern
E163 — Anthocyanins · No concern

See all E-numbers →

Check a product, not just a number

An additive's status describes the additive in general. What matters is the whole ingredient list on the packet in your hand.

This is information, not a fatwa. These statuses combine published scholarly positions with ingredient analysis, and they can be incomplete or out of date. For anything that matters, confirm with the manufacturer and with a qualified authority.