Introduction:In recent years, dark-themed beverages with their striking black appearance have captured consumer attention, but the illegal addition of coloring agents for visual appeal may pose health risks. A milk tea shop in Shanghai was investigated for unlawfully using vegetable carbon black in its "Black Coconut Strawberry Milk," sparking public concern over food safety. What exactly is vegetable carbon black? And which foods are legally allowed to contain it? This article delves into the incident and the relevant regulations.
In recent years, dark-themed beverages, characterized by their black appearance, have frequently appeared on the market, successfully attracting consumers seeking novel experiences with their unique colors. However, such beverages may carry potential food safety risks. Recently, during a routine inspection, the Xuhui District Market Supervision Bureau in Shanghai discovered that the "Black Coconut Strawberry Milk" sold by a local milk tea shop had an unusually deep black color. Further investigation confirmed that the staff had illegally used the food additive "vegetable carbon black" during preparation, resulting in the beverage’s unnatural black hue.
Market regulators pointed out that although the beverage’s black appearance successfully drew customers, this practice violated the usage restrictions on vegetable carbon black outlined in the National Food Safety Standard—Standards for the Use of Food Additives (GB 2760-2014). According to Article 34(4) of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, the use of food additives must comply with legal limits and scopes. This violation constituted an unlawful act, leading to an order for the shop to immediately rectify the issue, confiscation of illegal gains, and the imposition of corresponding fines.
In fact, the brand involved was none other than "Ben Jiu Tea," which rose to fame last year. When its first Hangzhou store opened, it attracted thousands of people queuing up, with resold cups reportedly fetching as much as 300 yuan each. This incident serves as another reminder to the industry that while creativity and visual design are important, they must never come at the expense of food safety.
So, what exactly is vegetable carbon black? It is a common food-grade coloring agent, typically produced by high-temperature carbonization and refinement of plant materials such as coconut shells. It is an insoluble black coloring agent, available in powder or suspension form. This additive is primarily used in food to provide a deep black color and is commonly found in products like candies and ice cream. It boasts high stability and strong adsorption properties. However,vegetable carbon black is not the same as activated carbon—the two differ significantly in production process and usage, and consumers should not confuse them.
According to the Food Additive Use Standard (GB2760-2011), vegetable carbon black is permitted for use in frozen desserts (excluding 03.04 edible ice), candies, rice products, wheat products, pastries, and cookies. However,the maximum allowable usage is 5.0 grams per kilogram, and its use is explicitly prohibited in categories such as dairy products or fruit and vegetable juices. The "Black Coconut Strawberry Milk" in question, being a dairy-based beverage, falls outside the legally approved scope for vegetable carbon black, thus constituting an off-label addition.
It is worth noting that although vegetable carbon black poses no significant harm when used within legal limits, its adsorption properties may affect the gastrointestinal absorption of other nutrients. Excessive intake could also lead to discomforts such as indigestion and constipation. Therefore, even legally approved food additives must be used in accordance with standards—overuse or misuse is not permitted.
Reviewing the investigation details of the involved store, market regulators not only revealed on-site evidence of the illegal addition of vegetable carbon black but also displayed the beverage’s sales page. The images clearly showed the brand logo on the cup as "Bonjour," which is the same as "Ben Jiu Tea"—the brand that trended on Weibo due to its overwhelming opening-day sales.
Public records indicate that the brand was established in Suzhou in 2020 and quickly gained popularity through marketing tactics such as being dubbed the "Dilraba Dilmurat’s favorite." It was hailed by local consumers as the "Pride of Suzhou." In August 2023, the brand expanded to Hangzhou, where its first store set records with daily sell-outs, queues exceeding 1,000 people, and average wait times of up to 10 hours. Resale prices even surged to 300 yuan per cup. The implicated "Black Coconut Strawberry Milk" was one of several creatively designed black-themed beverages launched by the brand, using special coloring to attract customers.
This incident serves as yet another wake-up call for the entire beverage industry: while innovation and visual marketing can drive traffic for brands, food safety remains an inviolable red line. For consumers, when trying novel beverages, it is also important to pay attention to ingredient and additive information to safeguard their health.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
