INS 153 is vegetable carbon, a deep black colour made by carbonising plant material (wood, coconut shells, peat, cellulose residues) at high temperatures. It is the black behind the charcoal-trend bakery, black ice cream, black cocktails, and black pasta that became popular through the 2010s and is now common on Indian dessert menus and supermarket shelves. It is generally vegan and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
Quick Facts
INS Number
153
E-Number
E153
Category
Colour
Veg Status
Vegan
FSSAI Status
Permitted by FSSAI
JECFA ADI
Not specified (1987)
Chemical Name
carbon (elemental carbon, plant-derived)
What is INS 153?
INS 153 is vegetable carbon, a deep black colour made by carbonising plant material (wood, coconut shells, peat, cellulose residues) at high temperatures. It is the black behind the charcoal-trend bakery, black ice cream, black cocktails, and black pasta that became popular through the 2010s and is now common on Indian dessert menus and supermarket shelves.
Why brands add it
Brands use it because it gives an opaque, neutral-tasting black colour that no other food-grade pigment matches: synthetic black is typically achieved by mixing several azo dyes which can read as muddy, whereas vegetable carbon gives a clean, true black. It is also marketable as a plant-derived ingredient, which suits the charcoal-trend segment. It tastes of nothing in food-colour doses.
Where you'll find it
INS 153 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Vegetable carbon is made by high-temperature carbonisation of plant material (wood, coconut shells, peat, or cellulose residues). The carbonised plant material is then ground to a fine powder. No animal product is used in its manufacture. Note: this is a distinct product from medicinal activated charcoal (used in emergency-room poisoning treatment); the food-grade material is the same elemental carbon but is specified for food applications with controlled particle size and impurity limits.
FSSAI status and JECFA evaluation
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as a natural food colour under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories at GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) levels. Use in foods is conditioned on the same purity specifications JECFA established (limits on polyaromatic hydrocarbons, ash content, and metal impurities).
JECFA: 'No ADI allocated' for vegetable carbon, status maintained at the 31st JECFA (1987). This is a different classification from 'not specified': JECFA did not formally establish a numerical ADI and did not prepare a full toxicological monograph at that time. The committee concluded that the available data were insufficient to establish a safety classification, and the substance remained on a 'no ADI allocated' status with use conditioned on the established purity specifications. EFSA's 2012 re-evaluation reached a similar conclusion and did not set a numerical ADI; the EU permits use under the quantum-satis principle for specified categories. In practical terms, regulators have permitted the food-colour use without recording an active safety concern, but the regulatory record is less complete than for items with a formal 'not specified' ADI.
Also known as
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 153 is also called:
The regulatory record on vegetable carbon is permitted but less complete than for many other food colours. JECFA's 31st meeting (1987) maintained the status 'no ADI allocated' (which is not the same as 'not specified': JECFA did not formally establish a safety number, but did not record an active safety concern either). EFSA's 2012 re-evaluation reached a similar position, with use permitted under the EU's quantum-satis principle. A common consumer question is whether INS 153 in a black-coloured ice cream or croissant binds to medicines the way activated charcoal in an emergency-room poisoning treatment does. The relevant scale difference is large: medicinal activated charcoal doses are typically 25 to 100 grams given all at once, while the food-colour dose of INS 153 in a charcoal bun or black-coloured kulfi is a fraction of a gram. JECFA, EFSA, and FSSAI permit this food use without recording a medication-interaction concern at typical pack levels. For specific medication-interaction questions, talk to a qualified pharmacist or doctor; this entry is regulatory background, not medical advice.
Is INS 153 vegetarian?+
Vegan. Vegetable carbon is made by high-temperature carbonisation of plant material (wood, coconut shells, peat, or cellulose residues). The carbonised plant material is then ground to a fine powder. No animal product is used in its manufacture. Note: this is a distinct product from medicinal activated charcoal (used in emergency-room poisoning treatment); the food-grade material is the same elemental carbon but is specified for food applications with controlled particle size and impurity limits.
Is INS 153 permitted by FSSAI?+
Permitted by FSSAI as a natural food colour under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories at GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) levels. Use in foods is conditioned on the same purity specifications JECFA established (limits on polyaromatic hydrocarbons, ash content, and metal impurities).
What is INS 153 used for?+
Brands use it because it gives an opaque, neutral-tasting black colour that no other food-grade pigment matches: synthetic black is typically achieved by mixing several azo dyes which can read as muddy, whereas vegetable carbon gives a clean, true black. It is also marketable as a plant-derived ingredient, which suits the charcoal-trend segment. It tastes of nothing in food-colour doses.
Is INS 153 (also written as E153) the same thing?+
Yes. INS 153 (the Codex International Numbering System used by FSSAI) and E153 (the European E-number system) refer to the same compound. The digits are identical for almost all common additives. Indian packets may show either form, or the common name (vegetable carbon).
This page summarises FSSAI's permission status and JECFA's scientific evaluation. It is not medical or dietary advice. Manufacturer ingredient sourcing can vary, especially for source-dependent additives - the Indian veg/non-veg dot logo on the pack is the brand's declaration. For health decisions, consult a doctor or registered dietitian.