ANTHRACITE COAL, SULFONATED

CAS: 69013-20-3 FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

Anthracoal, sulfonated (CAS 69013-20-3) is a sulfonated carbonaceous material that appears on the U.S. FDA Substances Added to Food inventory with a specified technical function involving flavor enhancement or as an adjuvant under secondary direct food additive regulations.

What It Is

Anthracoal, sulfonated is a chemically modified form of anthracoal that has been treated to introduce sulfonic acid groups and other polar functionalities. According to information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Substances Added to Food inventory, it is identified as an ingredient with the technical effect of functioning as a flavor enhancer, flavoring agent, or adjuvant in food systems under secondary direct additive regulations. Its chemical identity is represented by CAS Number 69013-20-3 and by various synonyms including sulfonated anthracoal and sulfonated coal. Its inclusion in food additive inventories reflects regulatory recognition of its defined use in food processing contexts under regulatory reference 21 CFR 173.25, which addresses polymer substances and polymer adjuvants for food treatment. This section provides a clear definition and identifier context so that industry professionals, regulators, and food formulators can understand what anthracoal, sulfonated represents in the broader family of food additive substances. Unlike conventional flavor compounds that provide distinct sensory notes on their own, anthracoal, sulfonated’s role is primarily functional rather than organoleptic: it is applied at specific processing points where its physicochemical properties assist in enhancing flavor delivery or modifying the interaction of other flavoring agents with food matrices. Because the material originates from a carbonaceous source (anthracoal) and undergoes sulfonation, it should not be confused with typical coal tar derivatives used in industrial applications; its food-related regulatory listing pertains to narrowly defined technical functions. The chemical’s structural complexity and high molecular mass typical of polymeric polyelectrolyte-like substances means it does not fit the profile of small-molecule flavor compounds, but rather serves in adjunct roles in formulations. In regulatory inventories such as the U.S. FDA Substances Added to Food list, anthracoal, sulfonated is cataloged alongside other polymer substances permitted for food treatment. While specifics such as molecular formula or PubChem CID are not reliably available or verified for this material, its identity and authorized use for food formulation under designated regulations provide a conceptual basis for its classification within the additive taxonomy.

How It Is Made

Anthracoal, sulfonated is manufactured by chemically treating anthracoal, a high-rank form of carbonaceous material, with sulfonating reagents such as concentrated sulfuric acid or sulfur trioxide under controlled conditions. Sulfonation introduces sulfonic acid functional groups (-SO3H) onto the surface and internal structure of the carbon-rich matrix, increasing hydrophilicity and providing ionic character to the otherwise hydrophobic coal structure. This modification enhances the material’s ability to interact with aqueous environments and other components in food formulations. Commercial production of this material typically involves disciplined process control to ensure consistency in functional group density, particle size distribution, and absence of residual unreacted sulfonating agents. In industrial practice, the feedstock anthracoal is first sized or milled to achieve a uniform starting particle distribution. The sulfonation step requires careful regulation of temperature, reagent concentration, and mixing to attain the desired degree of substitution without degrading the underlying carbon structure. After sulfonation, the product undergoes washing, neutralization, and drying to remove residual acids and reaction byproducts. Quality control testing may include assessment of sulfonic group content, pH of aqueous extracts, and absence of contaminants that could interfere with food applications. Because the final product is designed for use in food or food-contact applications, manufacturers are expected to follow good manufacturing practice (GMP) and provide certificates of analysis for industrial customers. Specification and standardization of anthracoal, sulfonated are crucial for its functional performance. Although routine analytical data such as molecular weight or exact structural formula are not available in public regulatory databases, producers and regulatory bodies typically reference performance characteristics and compliance with regulatory criteria such as those in 21 CFR 173.25. This helps ensure that the manufactured additive meets safety and technical performance expectations when used in food processing operations. The absence of small-molecule structural data reflects the material’s polymeric or complex character rather than a deficiency in documentation. From a manufacturing perspective, controlling the physicochemical attributes of anthracoal, sulfonated—including particle morphology, ionic group density, and purity—is essential for its intended functional role. These manufacturing descriptors help distinguish it from unmodified coal products and from unrelated additives, establishing a foundation for reproducible performance in specific food treatment applications.

Why It Is Used In Food

Anthracoal, sulfonated is used in food processing because its chemical modification endows it with properties that support flavor enhancement or function as an adjuvant in complex formulations. In the context of food technology, additives are selected for their ability to modify texture, stability, solubility, or interaction between ingredients. Anthracoal, sulfonated’s sulfonated surface groups may assist in the distribution or release of flavor compounds, acting at interfaces or interacting with other food components to support the intended sensory profile. Its classification under regulatory provisions for polymer substances and polymer adjuvants for food treatment underscores its role as a functional adjunct rather than a primary flavoring molecule. In food formulations where flavor intensity, uniformity, or sustained release is critical, formulators may select adjunct agents that provide structural or interfacial support for volatile or semi-volatile flavor compounds. Anthracoal, sulfonated’s high surface area and ionic character potentially facilitate interactions with flavor molecules, helping to stabilize or modulate their presentation in food products. Although exact mechanisms of action for this material in food systems are not widely documented in open literature, its inclusion in the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory with a defined technical effect implies an established industrial use case under regulatory oversight. The technical effect designation "FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT" indicates that it contributes to the sensory experience indirectly or by aiding other flavor components, rather than substituting for traditional flavor compounds. Because food additives must fulfill technological needs in manufacturing or finished products, the selection of such a specialized material suggests specific formulation challenges that less complex additives cannot address. As a result, anthracoal, sulfonated would be reserved for niche applications where its physicochemical properties deliver measurable formulation advantages. Food scientists and regulatory professionals rely on inventory listings and regulatory guidelines to determine whether an additive like this is appropriate for a given use case, aligning technical function with safety considerations and legal allowances.

Adi Example Calculation

Because a verified numeric acceptable daily intake (ADI) value for anthracoal, sulfonated is not available from authoritative regulatory bodies in the public domain, it is not feasible to perform an illustrative ADI calculation with a numeric daily intake figure. For additives with established ADIs, one would typically multiply the numeric ADI by a hypothetical body weight to estimate a maximum safe daily intake; however, without a verified regulatory ADI, such a calculation cannot be generated in a scientifically supported manner. Instead, the focus for substances without an established numeric ADI in public sources is on adherence to regulatory conditions of use. In the United States, regulatory listings such as 21 CFR 173.25 define the contexts in which anthracoal, sulfonated may be used in food processing, and formulators should ensure compliance with those regulatory provisions. Absent a numeric ADI, compliance with regulatory allowances serves as the guide for safe application rather than numerical intake estimations.

Safety And Health Research

Anthracoal, sulfonated has limited publicly accessible toxicological data in authoritative regulatory databases, and comprehensive safety assessments such as genotoxicity, chronic toxicity, or reproductive toxicity endpoints are not available in standard public scientific repositories for this material. Its inclusion on the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory reflects a regulatory acknowledgment of defined technical use under specified conditions rather than an in-depth public toxicological dossier. Because detailed safety studies are not published in the regulatory inventory, it is not possible to present verified hazard endpoints or thresholds from sources such as JECFA or EFSA. Regulatory evaluations for food additives typically consider a range of toxicology endpoints to establish acceptable use conditions and safety margins. However, for anthracoal, sulfonated, specific authoritative evaluations by international bodies such as the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) could not be located in primary regulatory databases. In the absence of such published toxicological assessments in authoritative sources that explicitly include this substance, it is not feasible to provide concrete safety conclusions. Therefore, neutral wording is appropriate: the material is listed with a defined technical function in U.S. food additive inventories, but detailed hazard and exposure research findings from regulated evaluations in public sources are lacking. As with many polymeric adjuncts, regulatory acceptance often entails internal compliance documentation that may not be publicly disclosed.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

In the United States, anthracoal, sulfonated is included in the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory (formerly known as EAFUS) with a designated technical function and reference to 21 CFR 173.25, which covers ion-exchange resins and polymer substances permitted as secondary direct food additives under prescribed conditions. This regulatory reference indicates that the material is recognized for specific food processing roles under U.S. federal regulations, though explicit FDA approval details and numerical use limitations are not independently verified on a public deep regulatory page beyond its listing. 21 CFR 173.25 includes sulfonated anthracoal in a list of permissible ion-exchange and related polymer substances for food treatment, indicating regulatory acceptance for defined technological effects within specified conditions of use under this section of the Code of Federal Regulations. Information from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory confirms the presence of anthracoal, sulfonated on the list of substances recognized with assigned technical effects, but comprehensive details on allowable levels or specific product categories are not provided in the public inventory excerpt. Because regulatory frameworks in jurisdictions outside the United States such as the European Union or other national food safety authorities require specific evaluations before authorization, the presence of anthracoal, sulfonated in those markets would depend on separate assessments and approvals that are not documented in readily available authoritative sources. As a result, its international regulatory status outside the U.S. context remains unclear without additional jurisdiction-specific listings or evaluations.

Taste And Functional Properties

Anthracoal, sulfonated itself does not contribute a distinct taste characteristic in the manner of conventional flavor compounds; rather, its functional properties are centered on physicochemical interactions within food systems. Because the material is a sulfonated carbonaceous matrix, it lacks the small-molecule volatile components that typically elicit taste or aroma perceptions. Instead, its primary functional contribution is related to its capacity to interact with other components, potentially modifying the way flavor molecules are distributed or released during processing or consumption. Such interactions may influence how other flavorants behave, but the material itself is not described as imparting a specific taste note. From a practical standpoint, materials like anthracoal, sulfonated are engineered to exhibit high surface area and polar functional groups that facilitate adsorption or exchange phenomena. In aqueous or semi-solid food environments, these attributes can affect the solubility and mobility of other additives, including flavor enhancers. Its sulfonic groups provide ionic character, allowing for interactions with charged or polar constituents in a formulation. Heat and pH stability considerations for such materials are context-dependent: because they are solid-phase adjuncts, their stability generally exceeds that of low-molecular-weight flavor compounds, which can degrade under processing conditions. However, specific data on temperature or pH stability in various food matrices are not readily available in public regulatory databases. Overall, the functional properties of anthracoal, sulfonated are defined by its role as a processing aid or adjunct in food systems, not by intrinsic sensory contributions. Its use is governed by regulatory listings that specify technical effects and application conditions, rather than by flavor profiles, solubility in drinking water, or heat sensitivity typical of food flavor compounds. As a result, understanding its functional properties requires a focus on its interaction with other ingredients and processing conditions rather than direct sensory impact.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

In the context of food additive regulation, acceptable daily intake (ADI) refers to an estimate of the amount of a substance that can be consumed every day over a lifetime without appreciable health risk, as established by authoritative evaluations. For well‑studied additives, bodies such as JECFA and EFSA publish numeric ADI values following comprehensive toxicological review. However, for anthracoal, sulfonated, such numeric ADI values are not readily found in the public sections of major international food additive evaluation databases, and therefore an explicit ADI cannot be reported here. Because the material is a polymeric sulfonated carbonaceous substance with limited public toxicological characterization, regulators typically rely on prescribed conditions of use in food processing rather than a numeric ADI. The absence of a published numeric ADI in authoritative sources means that users and formulators must adhere to regulatory permissions and prescribed application conditions under the relevant regulatory code, such as 21 CFR 173.25 in the United States. When ADIs are not established, regulatory frameworks usually rely on other risk management tools, such as specifications for purity and defined conditions of use, to ensure safety.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Anthracoal, sulfonated can be compared with other polymeric or surface‑functionalized materials used as adjuncts in food processing. For example, certain ion‑exchange resins such as sulfonated polystyrene‑divinylbenzene copolymers are also listed under secondary direct food additive regulations like 21 CFR 173.25, where they serve to treat food components or processing streams. These materials share with anthracoal, sulfonated the characteristic of being large, complex substances with functional groups that interact with other components in the food system rather than contributing primary sensory attributes. Unlike low‑molecular‑weight flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate or nucleotides, which directly stimulate taste receptors, polymeric adjuncts operate through surface or interfacial phenomena, aiding the distribution or stability of other flavorants. Another comparison can be drawn with modified cellulose derivatives used in food systems as stabilizers; while both are complex high‑molecular‑weight substances, modified cellulose derivatives often have well‑defined food additive specifications and ADIs established by regulatory bodies. In contrast, anthracoal, sulfonated’s public regulatory profile is narrower, focused on permitted functional use under specific processing regulations. This comparison highlights differences in regulatory documentation, function, and available safety evaluation rather than consumer perception.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Anthracoal, sulfonated may be encountered in processed food settings where complex flavor systems or technical formulation challenges require adjunct materials to support performance of primary flavoring agents. Its primary role is behind the scenes; it aids in achieving consistent distribution, stability, or release of flavor molecules in specific food matrices. Because it is identified as a secondary direct additive in U.S. regulatory listings, food scientists and formulators focus on its functional impact rather than on sensory contributions. The use of such specialized adjuncts reflects the intricate engineering behind modern processed foods, where multiple ingredients work in concert to deliver the desired end product characteristics.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Notes: Listing in the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory with reference to 21 CFR 173.25 indicates permitted functional use but specific approval details beyond inventory inclusion are not independently verified.
  • Regulation: 21 CFR 173.25

EFSA

  • Notes: No authoritative EFSA evaluation or E-number found in available deep regulatory sources.

JECFA

  • Notes: No JECFA monograph or numeric ADI in public authoritative sources.

Sources

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