They make cakes and cupcakes sparkle and shine, but popular decorative glitters can contain toxic metals and are not always safe to eat.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report Thursday that the products known as “gloss dust” are not all intended for human consumption, even if labeled as “non-toxic.” Some should only be used for display, e.g. B. on a cake topper that is removed.
The report cites research by health officials in two states that attributed disease to baked goods containing such dusts.
Rhode Island health officials examined a report in 2018 of six children who fell ill after a birthday party with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, suggestive of heavy metal poisoning. They all ate a bakery cake with a thick layer of icing mixed with a “gold dust”.
Testing a leftover piece of the cake showed it contained copper, as did tests of the dust used by the bakery. The report notes that the dust was labeled “inedible”, “non-toxic” and “for decoration only”.
State health authorities found widespread use of inedible gloss dust in other bakeries. Brendalee Viveiros, a food safety expert with the Rhode Island Health Department and co-author of the CDC report, said the state has issued guidelines on the use of glossy dust for businesses.
In 2019, the report also found that Missouri health officials identified a “primrose pollen” used to decorate a cake as a lead hazard while investigating elevated lead levels in a one-year-old child. A vessel with bright yellow decorations in the children’s home had been used to make flowers for the birthday cake. Laboratory tests of the dust labeled “non-toxic” indicated that the sample contained 25% lead.
A public notice from the Food and Drug Administration also warns of the potential dangers of consuming decorative glitter. It states that bakers should check decorative product labels on foods that require an ingredient list. If the label just says the product is “non-toxic” or “for decorative use only” and doesn’t have an ingredient list, the agency said it shouldn’t be used on food.
The agency determined that the glitter can be sold under names like Disco Dust, Twinkle Dust, Shimmer Powder, and Petal Dust.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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