Is Edible Glitter Safe?

Is edible glitter safe? That is a burning question for so many especially as we embark on one of the biggest baking seasons of the year. I love shiny things, love talking points about cooking and baking and of course who doesn’t love a fancy beverage? But we are driven to ask if this is the safe option especially when it comes to food safety. Google led me down a fun rabbit hole where I learned more about glitter than I ever thought there was to know.

What should you look for in purchasing an edible glitter? Well first make sure it is actually edible. You need to make sure the glitter you’re using has FDA approved ingredients and is really edible.

However, not all glitters that are listed as “non-toxic” in their descriptions were made to be eaten.

Therefore, home and commercial bakers need to pay attention to the ingredient lists in order to ensure that the glitter can truly be eaten without causing harm.

Glitters that are safe to eat include an ingredients list and should clearly state it’s been FDA approved. The packaging should also state that the glitter is food-grade or edible. Common ingredients in food-grade glitter include:

• Sugar
• Acacia or gum arabic
• Maltodextrin
• Cornstarch
• Dextrose
• Mica based pearlescent pigments
• FD&C colors

The entire Bakell® edible glitter product line, from Brew Glitter to Tinker Dust, is the only one on the market currently that uses all FDA compliant ingredients and even made in an FDA approved facility. It is 100% edible and food grade, and is also vegan, dairy and nut free, as well as non GMO and made right here in the USA.

In order to ensure that you are purchasing FDA approved edible glitter, you need to pay attention to the packaging or online description if you’re purchasing through e-commerce stores. FDA approved edible glitters are required to list the ingredients on the label. If there isn’t an ingredients list, it shouldn’t be assumed it’s food-safe or edible.

If the label or description states that the glitter is merely ‘non-toxic’ or ‘only for decorative purposes,’ then you should consider if these are right for your project. These glitters may contain plastic or metal pieces or other ingredients that should never be eaten and may be harmful, even if it is listed as non-toxic.

Additionally, if you can’t find the information you need to determine whether or not the glitter is edible or safe to consume, you can ask the seller to provide information directly from the manufacturer. Of course, if you can’t determine whether or not the product can be safely consumed, assume it cannot be and search for a different product.

Is Edible Glitter Safe for Animals?

You’ll want to keep your edible glitter away from your furry family members. However, if your dog or cat happens to get into your edible glitter, it probably won’t harm them.

However, if you do have pets and want to purchase edible glitter, you will need to make sure that the glitter does not contain ingredients that are known to be harmful to dogs and cats, like artificial sweeteners, chocolate and caffeine.

If your dog does eat your glitter and you’re not sure, it’s always best to contact your veterinarian to see if you need to bring your pet into the office for an exam and treatment.

For more fun food facts keep an eye on Make Food Safe.