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And Just Like That, Goth-Friendly Charcoal Foods Were Canceled
It turns out those highly Instagrammable, pitch-black "goth" foods were far edgier than we could have ever imagined. According to a new report in Eater, the Department of Health says that activated charcoal is currently banned from all food- and drink-serving establishments in NYC. A spokesperson for DOH told Eater that the rule isn't new, but enforcement has increased.
Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream, that NYC ice cream shop that caused a mini frenzy in 2016 over their popular jet-black ice cream, reportedly had to dump "$3,000 worth of product during a routine inspection," per owner Nick Morgenstern. The ice cream shop posted a cryptic Instagram in late May that hinted something was afoot. The ice cream, which they've been making since 2015, uses coconut ash—a form of activated charcoal. "I don't see any evidence that this is actually a question of public health safety," Morganstern told Eater. "I would challenge someone to identify the public health safety risk of that ingredient."
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday June 11 2018, @12:42PM
Charcoal is the closest thing in real-life to Harry Potter's bezoar [wikia.com]. The same qualities that make charred oak casks [vinepair.com] effective at "smoothing" the taste of whiskey and activated charcoal fish tank filters help to keep the imprisoned fish healthy. It's physical structure acts as a chemical trap, effectively removing many organic chemicals from solution and preventing them from reacting. If you've been poisoned, it's a very good thing to eat.
On the other hand, if you consume it on a regular basis, it can also absorb significant quantities of beneficial chemicals / nutrients.
As for this regulatory action, surely it's mostly based in political tension between the group(s) that identify with the black color and the group(s) driving the enforcement, and actual health or safety issues are merely props for the cause.
🌻🌻 [google.com]