Charcoal in the Öko-Test: Clear losers leave testers stunned

Created: 06/26/2022Updated: 06/26/2022, 20:31

By: Julian Kaiser

When checking a total of 18 types of charcoal, clear offenses were noticed.

Grill masters should pay particular attention to the origin of the wood.

NRW – Even if the gas grill is becoming more and more popular, most grill enthusiasts continue to use charcoal for the ultimate sizzling fun, according to the Öko-Test.

Finally, the grainy charcoal or the briquettes promise smoky aromas and crackling embers.

According to the Hamburg Thünen Institute, which relies on figures from the Federal Statistical Office, "consumption in Germany was 250,000 tons in 2016 - and the trend is rising." Products failed with a bang - the reasons make you sit up and take notice.

Öko-Test: 18 types of charcoal checked for origin and impurities, among other things

The testers from Öko-Test, including scientists from the Thünen Institute, examined a total of eight brands of granular charcoal and ten brands of briquettes for the big check.

Among them were two alternatives made from olive stones and coconut shells (more test reports on RUHR24).

Together with the scientists, Öko-Test primarily wanted to know what was really in the wood, most of which was imported from abroad, and whether there was any contamination with foreign bodies.

There were also assessment categories such as preheating time, temperature development and combustion behavior.

The laboratory investigations into the origin of the charcoal are important in order to find out about the overexploitation in primeval forests and possibly incorrect product labeling and seals.

If the supplier does not provide any information on the origin of the wood, even when asked several times, then something is usually rotten in the state of Denmark.

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Öko-Test: Three losers fail due to origin, lack of transparency and incorrect labeling

A total of seven types of charcoal were rated "very good".

The grades “good” and “satisfactory” were given three times each, “sufficient” twice and “inadequate” three times.

The testers could therefore recommend ten out of 18 products.

All test results, including the contaminated products with some fossil residues and performance checks, can be found here by grill masters.

When buying charcoal, consumers should pay attention to the origin of the product.

© Frank Sorge/Imago;

Eco test;

Collage: Sabrina Wagner/RUHR24

While the wood of most products comes mainly from Eastern Europe and partly from Africa, the three test losers have in common their origin from tropical or subtropical regions.

The manufacturers of the two test losers did not provide any information on the origin of the wood when asked several times, and the products did not carry a sustainability seal:

• 1. Alschu

  Favorit Grill quality charcoal, category: grill charcoal

  ,

  price / filling weight per pack:

  3.99 euros / 3 kg,

  solid fuel content / ash:

  65 / 9%,

  piece size:

  many small pieces,

  test result composition (50% ):

  poor,

  starting material / origin according to the provider:

  no information / no information,

  analyzed types of wood:

  wood from tropical and subtropical climates (Fabaceae),

  certification for forest management:

  no,

  test result origin and certification (30%):

  insufficient,

  overall assessment:

  poor *

• 2. Alschu

  Favorit Grill charcoal briquettes, category: grill briquettes

  ,

  price/filling weight per pack

  
  

  2.99 euros/3 kg,

  content of solid fuel/ash:

  59/13%,

  impurities:

  quartz, small stones,

  
  

  test result composition (50%):

  Poor,

  starting material / origin according to the provider:

  
  

  no information / no information,

  analyzed types of wood:

  wood from Central and South America to subtropical regions of South America (Apocynaceae),

  certification for forest management:

  no,

  
  

  test result origin and certification (30%):

  insufficient,

  overall assessment :

  deficient *

• * For reasons of space, no information on preheating time, temperature development and combustion behavior

Öko-Test: Declaration of charcoal and laboratory analysis do not match

Even more explosive: The wood from tropical or subtropical climate zones that has been proven in the laboratory is not declared as such on the packaging of the following charcoal.

Therefore, the FSC certificate on the packaging, which only applies to the European woods hornbeam, beech, oak and birch, is not appropriate for the product.

Although these woods are on the packaging, the researchers only found oak and the (sub)tropical woods mentioned:

• 1. Weber-Stephen

  Weber Briquettes, category:

  barbecue briquettes,

  price / filling weight per pack:

  9.49 euros / 4 kg,

  content of solid fuel / ash:

  63 / 8%,

  impurities:

  traces,

  test result composition (50%):

  very good,

  starting material / origin according to the supplier:

  hornbeam, beech, oak, birch etc. / Poland, Ukraine, Belarus,

  analyzed types of wood:

  nut shell of the coconut palm, wood from tropical or subtropical climate (Fabaceae), oak;

  Woods declared by name not proven,

  certification for forest management:

  FSC,

  test result origin and certification (30%):

  insufficient,

  Overall rating:

  poor *

• * For reasons of space, no information on preheating time, temperature development and combustion behavior

, the use of tropical wood for charcoal production, which is controversial in itself,

does not necessarily have to be problematic, but can also be indicative of sustainable timber management.

The use of masses of growing residual wood from forestry programs in Namibia makes sense, for example, to prevent invasive thorn bushes from encroaching on precious pastureland, reports