A 4-year assessment of the qualitative characteristics of Slovenian barbecue lump charcoal and its compliance with the EN 1860-2 standard

Abstract

The use of charcoal as a barbecue fuel is a widespread practice around the world. The quality of charcoal is essential to ensure the efficacy and safety of the grilling process. The European standards EN 1860-2:2023 establish the minimum quality requirements for barbecue charcoal for domestic and professional use. Given the significant variability in charcoal production techniques and raw materials, it is crucial to assess whether the commercial products available on the European market comply with standard regulatory requirements. This study evaluated the quality of barbecue charcoal available on the European market over four years: 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024. A total of 42 charcoal bags were analyzed. Physical and chemical analyses were performed according to the referenced standards. The values obtained were compared with the limits required by the standards. The results revealed a high variability in the qualitative characteristics of charcoal among samples of different brands, both within the same year and in different years. Almost all of the samples analyzed (39) did not meet the standard limits. The most critical factors were low fixed carbon values and granulometry with high percentages of fine and coarse fractions. These findings suggest the need for improved regulations and stricter quality control to mitigate consumer risks.