Activated carbon

for the food industry

Decolourization, odour and taste adjustment
Activated carbon in the food
industry
The first industrial application of activated carbon was in food sector,
in the sugar industry. In 1794 charcoal was used for the first time
in an English sugar refinery. Today, activated carbons are not only used
for treatment of sugar solutions but also cover a wide range of
applications from treatment of edible oils and fats, over application
in the beverage industry for wine and fruit juices to the coloration of
food as E153 (vegetable carbon).

Apart from decolourization, activated carbon is used for removing

dissolved organic compounds and controlling odor and taste are utilised.
These applications predominantly powdered activated carbons of
our Carbopal®-Qualities are used and applied by stirring or suspension
technique or granular activated carbons Epibon® -Qualities by the
percolation process, where activated carbon is used in a fixed bed filter.

Carbopal
Stirring or suspension process
In this widely used method, the activated carbon is either directly
stirred into the solution to be treated or mixed and dispensed as a
15% suspension.
Activated carbon dosage rates are normally in the order of 0.1 to 1%
related to the liquid volume to be treated. The contact time of the Epibon
activated carbon has to be matched with the physical properties of the
liquid to be treated, such as viscosity, temperature, pH value Percolation filtration
and the substances to be removed. Hence a contact time between
15 and 30 minutes will normally be sufficient. The separation of In the percolation process, the solution to be treated is likewise
activated carbon from the liquid phase is accomplished by filtration in filtered through an activated carbon layer.
suitable filter systems. In large-scale applications, dust-free dosing Contrary to precoat filtration, percolation is cleaning the solution
of powdered carbon from silos or containers is realized by appropriate to be treated by granular activated carbon charged in adsorption
dosage and transport systems. columns. During the adsorption process, a typical concentration
profile results for the activated carbon layer or bed.

Precoat filtration
Adsorbers for the liquid purification
The use of the precoat or so called sheet filtration process is limited
to applications involving the removal of low concentrations of impurities
In food industry, the use of Donau Carbon filters with granulated
or not requiring high treatment standards. Here, a filter element is
activated carbons is widely used for the treatment of liquid
precoated with powdered activated carbon - if required, in combination
(intermediate) products of all kinds. It applies the high quality
with a filter aid - to produce a filter layer through which the
requirements, for example to achieve in the discoloration of
solution to be treated is passed. One advantage of the precoat filtration
solutions or smell and taste neutralization.
process is the simultaneous separation of particulate impurities as
suspended solids.

2
General information on active
carbon

Activated Carbon Characteristics The filtration behavior of powdered activated carbons depends partly on
the fineness, and also the grain shape of the product.
The manufacturing and activation process and the used basic raw In the production of powdered activated carbon, the fineness is adjusted
materials have a determining influence on the adsorptive capacity for optimum filtering characteristics.
of activated carbon products.
Here, a filter element is precoated with powdered activated carbon
In the Gas Activation Process, previously carbonised material is – if required in combination with a filter aid – to produce a filter layer
subjected to the oxidising action of gas, such as steam, carbon dioxide, through which the solution to be treated is passed.
air or a mixture of these. Activation temperatures typically range
from 700 to 1.000 °C. The combination with filter aid has no negative impact on the adsorption
capacity of the powdered activated carbon. Separation of the
In the chemical activation process non-incinerated carbonaceous powdered activated carbon is achieved by filtration in appropriate filter
material like sawdust are initially mixed with dehydrating or oxidising systems (press-filter, centrifuges and cartridge filters).
chemicals like zinc chloride or phosphoric acid and heated up to
temperatures between 400 and 800°C under exclusion of oxygen. When using granular activated carbons, depending on the type and
concentration of the substances to be adsorbed, reactivation of spent
The selection of the most suitable type of activated carbon for a specific activated carbon is possible.
application depends on the physical and chemical propertiesof
the substances to be adsorbed. Aside from this material data, other
process-related factors also play a role in the adsorption process.
Selection of activated carbon
The various grades of activated carbons available from Donau
Application technology liquid treatment Carbon offer a wide variety of adsorption properties for different
applications like liquid, waste air or water treatment.
Adsorption technology is widely used for the treatment of liquids.
Selection of the suitable grade is done by extensive know-how,
Apart from decolourization, activated carbons are removing impurities, based on more than 100 years’ experience in the production,
which are typically organic compounds. In these applications processing and characterization of activated carbon dealing with
predominantly activated carbon in powder form is used. Our powdered customers specific requirements.
activated carbon series Carbopal® can be applied by stirring
or suspension. Selection activated carbon from –
With powdered activated carbons, a multi-stage process including Overview of advantages
recycling is possible.
Powdered activated carbon Granular activated carbon
By using granular activated carbons with the percolation process,
the solution to be treated is filtered through an activated carbon layer Low invest cost Possibility of environmental
charged in columns. The Epibon® granular activated carbon friendly & cost-saving reactivation
products possess an open porous structure making them highly suitable
for such treatments. Temporary usage Compensation of concentration
fluctuations

No preloading Security Level

Low space needed Few analytic needed

Multiple use Easy Handling

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 Decolourisation of Syrup

Food / Groceries Analysis 420 nm, 1 cm

1000

Treatment of Glucose
Glucose and starch solutions like dextrose, fructose are treated for
removal of colour and high molecular weight substances which
result from the production process. In particular, colour precursors
800

like Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are known to induce a later competitor product

recolourisation in the solution. Carbopal MB 4S

When the main target is elimination of residual colour, chemically Carbopal PA 4

activated carbons will be chosen. If removal of HMF is intended,

a steam activated carbon will be applied. A desired combination of
these properties is possible with our mixed product Carbopal EP. 600

The pH value mostly should be kept acidic, and therefore the activated

Icumsa Units

carbon should not impact it in the liquid to be treated.

Thanks to laboratory tests, Donau Carbon can determine which product
quality is optimal for the specific application and what dosage
will be needed to achieve the desired bleaching. Granular activated 400

carbons are employed for plants producing large quantities of

one sole product on a continuous basis. It brings lower operating costs
and the possibility to reactivate and reuse of the spent carbon
environmentally friendly.
200

DC – product qualities:
Carbopal® PA 4, EP or MB 4 S
Epibon® Y 12x40 spezial
0

0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18

kg PAC / MT Syrup

Treatment of sugar syrups

The main focus here is the decolouration and purification of liquid
sugars obtained for instance from cane sugars, fructose or others
saccharides. The intensity of colour will guide the customer in choosing
an adequate product. In general, steam activated carbons will only
be suitable for light coloured solutions. Chemically activated carbons
will suit to darker syrups.

The pH value of the activated carbon will be adjusted to buffer to

neutral as it will avoid the formation of invert sugar.

When granular activated carbon is used in continuous processes,

i.e. in a column process, the possibility to reactivate the activated
carbon offers an economical and environmental advantage.

DC – product qualities:
Carbopal® PA 4 N or MB 4 N
Epibon® Y 12x40 spezial,

4
Treatment of lactose and gelatine

In the production of lactose – milk sugar, activated carbon will

be applied for decolourization (usually measuring at 400 nm) and Activated carbons with improved
for the removal of endotoxins (280 nm). The characteristics of the filterability
product should be compatible to the pH of the solutions and exhibit
the pore structure that will allow ideal removal of the undesired In addition to good PAH separation, the filterability of the used
substances. activated carbon is an important criterion. Donau Carbon’s
product Carbopal® P800 C LC is very suitable by holding a high
The use of activated carbon for the processing of gelatine works adsorption capacity and short filtration times.
similarly. Here, apart from decolourization, it additionally is necessary
to remove flavourings. Due to the discontinuous procedure typically DC – product qualities:
used for this, increasingly powdered activated carbons are applied. Carbopal®P800 C LC oder MB 4 B

DC – product qualities:
Carbopal® Gn-P, PA 4 N or MB 4

Purification of edible oils and fats Removal of benzo(a)pyrene in cocosoil

Treatment at 100˚ C with 2 wt.% bleaching earth

For the treatment of edible oil and fats, powdered activated carbons 30

are used in combination with bleaching earths for the removal of Inlet concentration Benzopyrene: 27.2 µg/kg

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) like benzo(a)pyrene and the

reduction of natural colouring substances.

For the selection of an optimal product quality, it is important to know

the type of oil to be treated. For example coconut and palm oil
have an increasing part in the European market and need adequate
activated carbon qualities. On the other hand, there are very
benzopyrene (µg/kg)

tasks in treating fish oil, where dioxins must be removed, but no 20

decolourization should take place. competitor product

Carbopal AP

DC – product qualities:
Carbopal® AP, P800 (LC) or MB 4 (B)

Treatment of soup spice, caffeine and 10

glutamate
The main aspect for the treatment of flavouring agents mostly is the
decolouration. The hydrolysed vegetable proteins are dark starting
materials that require the use of chemically activated carbons, more cost
effective due to the high decolouration capacity.
The optimisation of dosage and contact time shall be determined
in preliminary tests under conditions as close to the real production
processes as possible. 0

0,0
0,1
0,2
0,3
0,4
0,5

DC – product qualities: added amount of activated carbon (%)

Carbopal® PA 4, Gn-P or MB 5

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Beverage industry

Activated Carbon for wine & beer

Dust-free powder activated carbon
Preparation of beverages often implies the use of activated carbon:
it can be utilised for dechlorination of the process water used In addition to the high purity and the good adsorption dust-free
in the bottling plants, to purify the water or to remove unwanted addition of powdered activated carbon is an increasingly important
components and impurities, for adjusting taste and colour. requirement on the part of the customer. Accordingly, extruded,
The grade of activated carbon will be selected in accordance to the task: water-soluble products such as our Epibon® B5 have been developed.
chemically activated carbon types for decolourization or steam In addition to the dust-free addition to the liquids, the rapid
activated carbon types for taste and odour regulation. dissolution into powdered activated carbon is an important factor.

A common example is the use of powdered activated carbon for DC – product qualities:
decolourization of red wine for the production of vermouth or white Epibon® B5
wine, while issued from dark grapes.
Of course, the raw water for production in the beverage industry
must meet high purity requirements. Well established companies rely Removal of patulin in apple juice

on our product Hydraffin CC 8x30.

20

initial concentration patulin: 17 µg/kg

DC – product qualities:
Hydraffin® CC 8x30 & Epibon® MC 16x35
Carbopal® PA 4, Gn-P or MB 6 SB30

Treatment of fruit juice concentrates

In the fruit juice industry, depending on the quality of the raw
products, there are increased amounts of undesired secondary
Patulin (µg/kg)

components. This is independent of the primary product used

(e.g., apple, lemon, oranges). In extensive tests with fruit juice
manufacturers, we were able to demonstrate which product quality
10

fits for the different objectives:

 
Patuline removal Carbopal® CCP 90
Colour adjustment Carbopal® Gn-P
Decolourization Carbopal® PA 4
Odour and taste adjustment Carbopal® MB 4

For decolourization, it is advantageous to know the predominant

colour, for been able to chose the grade of activated carbon in the
Competitor product

best possible way.

Carbopal CCP 90

pink & brown coloured polyphenols

dark brown coloured melanoidins, colour precursors 0

generated during processing 0

20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200

added amount of activated carbon (g/hL)

Preparation of spirits
High quality activated carbon qualities are used e.g. in the production Fine powdered activated carbon
of the finest vodkas, for the refinement of taste and odour.
Here it is mainly about the removal of acetaldehyde and branched In the field of fruit juice production, more and more membrane
alcohols, which arise in the production. processes are used, which require a specific particle size
distribution of the powdered activated carbon. Products as our
DC – product qualities: Carbopal® Gn-P F provide these features, allowing increased
Hydraffin®CC 8x30 spezial, in other grain sizes available production speed while protecting the sensitive membranes.

DC-Produktqualität:
Carbopal® Gn-P F

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General Information

Laboratory / Application Technology

Department Support
Evaluation and control of new and used activated carbon will be done
in our own laboratories in compliance with national and international
standard test processes. Our application engineers have decades of
experience in the field of water & liquid treatment and will be pleased
to support our customers.
Donau Carbon is offering a comprehensive service:
 analyses of adsorbents (mechanical, chemical and physical properties)

 determination of isotherms

 separation experiments based on the requirements

 support for selecting an optimal activated carbon for your application

 mobile activated carbon filters used as pilot plants for on-site tests

are also provided upon request.

Thermal reactivation of activated carbon

In many cases, loaded or exhausted granular activated carbons can
be reactivated by means of a thermal process which is similar
to the original activation process. Donau Carbon provides a thermal
reactivation service for granular activated carbon as a cost
saving and environment-friendly alternative to disposal at two locations
in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, and Pischelsdorf, Austria. Using the
latest technologies, the reactivation plants (rotary kiln) guarantee an
optimum of quality of the reactivated product. Quality control
and analyses in the company’s own laboratory ensure the quality of
the reactivated carbon and its suitability for reuse. The plants
are equipped with state-of-the art off gas cleaning systems meeting
stringent European emission standards.

Service and Mobile Compact Systems

In addition to its activated carbon sale and reactivation activities,
Donau Carbon offers mobile and stationary adsorption units e.g. for
ground water rehabilitation and soil vapour treatment.
These compact, containerized units are available for sale or for rent
and come with a complete service package from delivery,
collection, replacement and refill to the disposal of spent carbon,
as requested by the customer.

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