Activated carbon is one of the most widely used purification agents around the world. From water purification to gold recovery, the applications of activated carbon are numerous, and the scope of applications is always expanding. A crucial purification agent in many industries, activated carbon is widely used in the food and beverage industry. In this article, we look into the decolorization properties of activated carbon and its other applications in the food and beverage industry.
Activated carbon and its decolorization effect
Activated carbon is a highly porous material made of raw materials such as wood, coconut shells, coal, bamboo, and lignite. The porous nature of its surface is the reason for activated carbon’s high surface area and adsorption capacity; to put it into perspective, a teaspoon full of activated carbon can have about the surface area of an actual football field! Due to these qualities, activated carbon functions as an excellent purification agent that can absorb impurities such as dyes, which is why it is a popular decolorization agent in the water treatment and beverage industries.
When it comes to soft drinks, bottled water, and other beverages, the quality of the water used in the manufacturing process is a major factor that can influence the quality of the final product. Water purification is a major application of activated carbon. It removes all kinds of pollutants and harmful toxins from water, and the beverage industry is a major beneficiary of this process. However, the use of activated carbon in the food and beverage industry doesn’t end here!
Activated carbon in food and beverages
Aside from being used as a water treatment agent around the world, activated carbon has numerous other applications in the food and beverage industry. The bottled drinks and food should taste and smell nice enough for us to consume them, right? Activated carbon removes pollutants and contaminators that degrade the taste of these products, as well as adsorbs the unpleasant odour-producing compounds. It offers long-term colour stability for packaged food and drinks. Activated carbon is also widely used in the production of alcoholic beverages such as vodka, whisky, rum, wine, and vermouth.
Fruit Juice: Used to remove unwanted colour and impurities from fruit juice, activated carbon can improve the appearance and freshness of soft drinks. In addition, it also removes unwanted odours and flavours, resulting in a more appetizing and refreshing product.
Sweeteners: Activated carbon also removes impurities and contaminants from sweetener syrups, improving the taste, texture, and overall quality of sweeteners.
Tea and Coffee: In the case of tea and coffee, activated carbon is used in the decaffeination process to remove caffeine from tea and coffee. The activated carbon selectively adsorbs caffeine molecules to produce high-quality decaffeinated products.
Soft Drinks: Activated carbon does a good job of decolorizing sugar syrups used in soft drinks. This helps ensure a consistent and appealing colour for soft drinks while preserving the visual identity of your brand and the expectations of consumers.
Gelatin: Gelatin is an item used in many food products, and activated carbon also purifies and removes colour from gelatin. During food processing, impurities and excess colour are removed, thereby improving its texture, appearance, and overall quality.
Beer: Activated carbon is introduced into the beer production process to remove impurities that can affect the overall taste profile of beer. It removes unwanted taste and odour-creating compounds from beer and enhances the taste of the final product, resulting in a smoother and more consistent flavour.
Whisky: During the ageing process of whisky, activated carbon is used to prevent turbidity and create high-quality whisky at the end of the process.
Edible Oil: Activated carbon can be used to treat edible oils; it removes contaminants and modifies the colour of the oil, creating an end product that can be labelled as high-quality and produced for a richer taste, texture, and appearance.
Wine: Activated carbon is also used in the filtering process of wine to remove impurities, sediment, colour, unwanted odour, and flavour components. The process creates an aromatic and flavourful final product.
Buy activated carbon
Activated carbon is a major decolorization and purification agent in the food and beverage industry, and numerous other industries also use these characteristics of activated carbon to their advantage. Southern Carbon and Chemicals is one of India’s best activated carbon manufacturers. Based in God’s own country, all of our production processes occur at our activated carbon plant in Kerala. We are one of the major suppliers of activated carbon for water purification in India and other Asian markets. Over two decades of experience and high-end products differentiate us from the rest. Connect with us to learn more about customizable products and global shipping procedures.