Ash - US Gov't Approval & Low Cost Source

[janesmilk]

Hello,
I am currently using Edible ash form Glengarry for my tomme cheese. Ohio Dept. of Ag is having a difficult time approving my labels for that product because they cant obtain a CFR for the product. I have tried to explain that it has no ingredients, it is carbon!!! Glengarry is trying to obtain more info from France for me, but in the meantime, does anyone have any information about the product, perhaps paperwork that you have used to have it approved as an ingredient for your cheese plant?   Thanks in advance for your help! - Lisa

[linuxboy]

Per FDA, there is no requirement for activated carbon to be listed on the approved food additive list. The reason is because it has been in use for centuries and is generally recognized historically as safe. In the European Union, it is officially approved as additive E153, a colorant.

If your ag dept will not go with that reasoning, the manufacturer should be able to provide a MSDS. The relevant CAS number is 7440-44-0 or 1333-86-4. If your manufacturer cannot provide the MSDS, you can buy activated carbon very easily and cheaply online from a supplier who will provide USP grade carbon, including MSDS statement and USP quality cert.

And if all else fails, ask if they will let you use it if you manufacturer the carbon on premise. It's easy to do.

[janesmilk]

Cant thank you enough! I have passed on the info, hopefully they will approve! - Lisa

[linuxboy]

Thing is, even though the above is true, they need testing data on your specific supplier. If I was the inspector, I would probably ask for the MSDS or some testing data to verify that it meets the purity standard, and that the trace element amounts are within the allowed range. It's one thing to allow carbon, it's another to allow your specific carbon.

Hope it goes well for you. If you get stuck, might need to switch suppliers.

[Cheese Head]

you can buy activated carbon very easily and cheaply online from a supplier who will provide USP grade carbon

Pav or others any thoughts on where to get this, stuff from Cheese Making Supply Stores like Cheesemaking.com is very expensive, TIA.

[linuxboy]

Go to the store and look for hardwood (NOT briquettes, the real deal, mesquite is nice) charcoal used for BBQ. Go to the thriftstore and get a blender. Puree the heck out of that stuff for 5-10 mins with water. Take the resulting goo and put it in the microwave. Nuke for 10-15 mins. It will first turn into a sludge, then will turn hard. Take that hard powdered stuff and mash it up. You now have pounds and pounds of ash for a few bucks. Perfectly edible.

if dubious of this approach (food grade is acid washed), there are USP sources for coconut charcoal and hardwood charcoal powder, cheaper than elsewhere. Search on google. Quick search, for example: http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/activated_charcoal_powder_10oz

[Cheese Head]

Many thanks for homemade method and for taking effort to find link to stuff in store, I was googling the wrong words.

Ordered (will try making if start using lots of it), will post review when get it, they also sell larger volumes and small USD5 sample jars and many types (bamboo, coconut based etc), I think US based but ship worldwide.

[Cheese Head]

janesmilk, I just noticed that the US based website that linuxboy linked has a US Material Safety Data Sheet which covers handling, storage, cleanup etc . . . sorry but I have no idea what a CFR is.