Which of the following was NOT a component of the Columbian Exchange?

The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) following Christopher Columbus's voyages in the late 15th century. Among the key components of this exchange were the introduction of various crops, such as maize and potatoes, as well as livestock, including cattle and pigs. Additionally, the movement of humans, especially as a result of colonization and the transatlantic slave trade, had profound impacts on both continents, alongside the transmission of diseases like smallpox that devastated indigenous populations.

While beef and dairy products did become significant as European livestock were introduced to the Americas, these products are a byproduct of larger categories (plants and animals) that were inherent in the exchange. Coal, however, does not play a role in the original scope of the Columbian Exchange. It is a fossil fuel that was primarily used for energy and industry in later centuries, particularly during the Industrial Revolution, and was not a good exchanged between the Old and New Worlds at the time the Columbian Exchange was conceptualized. Thus, it stands out as not being a component of this historical phenomenon.