Summary
Some people who grill prefer using lump charcoal over briquettes due to its clean burning and natural wood flavors. However, a check on lump charcoal packages in the U.S. revealed that some labels do not accurately represent the contents, and some products contain unsustainable tropical woods.
Key Facts
- Lump charcoal is made from real wood turned into charcoal without added chemicals.
- The wood type used in lump charcoal affects how it burns and flavors the grilled food.
- Some charcoal claims include inaccuracies, such as incorrect wood types or origins.
- Sustainable charcoal is often made from U.S. hardwood trees; charcoal from tropical woods may involve deforestation.
- A study tested 15 major U.S. lump charcoal brands to see if the labels matched the contents.
- Nearly 50% of the charcoal was made from oak or mesquite, trees found in North America.
- Some charcoal bags labeled as U.S. products contained non-native tropical woods.
- The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires accurate product descriptions but was not always followed in these products.
