Health Tip: Some Cake Decorations Shouldn’t Be Eaten

Some decorations sold for use on birthday cakes may not be what parents wish for, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.

Some decorative glitters and dusts may contain ingredients that shouldn’t be eaten, the agency says. They’re marketed as luster dust, disco dust, twinkle dust, sparkle dust highlighter, shimmer powder, pearl dust and petal dust.

The FDA offers these suggestions before deciding on how to decorate a cake:

Carefully check the label of any decorative product. Edible glitters and dusts are required by law to include a full list of ingredients on the label.
Look for ingredients such as sugar, acacia, maltodextrinornstarch and color additives specifically approved for food use.
Most edible glitters and dusts state “edible” on the label. If the label simply says “non-toxic” or “for decorative purposes only” and does not include an ingredients list, you should not use the product on foods.

Source: HealthDay