So back in May, I finally find dragees again, after years of looking.I used some on my daughter's birthday cake, & I have alot left over.I bought them from a local cake supply store.Anyway, I've been wondering since I bought them if something changed with them or something, because I remember vividly my family & I eating them when I was younger, but now, on the container, it says 'Not Edible'.I'm so confused.Were we not supposed to be eating them all along, or did something change?

Hhhhmmmmmm......the ones that I've used are edible....who's the manufacturer?

I think you're just not supposed to eat the metalic ones.

I know in the past (many years ago) we ate them--this was before all the STRINGENT FDA stuff. If I remember there was a big stink about the metallic factor(?) that might have been in them.

Man, I used to eat silver dragees by the handful! My mom always had sprinkles and jimmies and dragees in the pantry for cookies. Even Betty Crocker sold dragees.

Yep, it's the metalic coating on them that makes them inedible.
Actually if you were to look at the lable of even the older ones you would see it says something to the effect: For decorations only - not to be eaten.

Little late for this post b/c my computer was down after a storm!! I just bought some dragees last month and my kids were eating them like CRAZY!!!! They're silver!!! What does that mean?? Why no metallic??

I read that they are illegal here in Calif. but I did find them once in a store last year. (Don't ask me the name! he he)

Seems dumb to me, but if you order off the Internet, they won't ship to Calif.

Melissa

I think it's because of the aluminum factor. The ones sold here in Ohio say "for decoration only" and have aluminum silicate in them.

If you factor in the aluminum pans, the aluminum baking powder, and then dragees, you get quite a bit of metal. If cake is not your main choice of sustenance, I think you'll be ok.

From Wiki

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the metallic-finish dragées to be inedible. Early in the 20th century, the silver finish may have contained mercury (it does not now). The sale of these dragées was banned for some time. Although the metallic-finish dragées can be purchased in 49 U.S. states, in California, they are no longer sold due to a 2003 lawsuit against several sellers. Now, these dragées are sold with a notice that they are for decorative purposes only. However in other countries (including the United Kingdom) they are classed as food items.

They are sold in CA, just shops are afraid of lawsuits, so they are harder to find.

Those are the little silver beads, right. I have seen them in our local cake store.....we always ate them as kids. and I turned out OK.......(well that's a matter of opinion as my kids say......lol.....)

Other than breaking a tooth I don't think the amount of silver, gold or what ever is going to hurt you.

Dragees are illegal in California because some lawmaker in San Francisco decided that dragees would kill us all. I ate them as a child and I'm not dead yet. It's the sort of thing that didn't seem to need to be regulated. Cigarettes are OK, but steer clear of those dragees!!! Here's an article about it if you're interested: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/23/MNGS03SUEM1.DTL

I bought some dragees at the local cake supply store a few months ago. Another woman in the store was throwing a hissy fit because the package said they were for decorative purposes only. The store owner told her that because of the silver, they really weren't considered edible but you can certainly eat them. Just don't make a meal out of them. He said that you won't find them in grocery stores anymore.The cake supply store sells silver, gold, and other metallic color dragees. I purchased a bag of the silver dragees (there's a lot in a bag!) and the other woman watched in horror. I think she was waiting for me to sprout a tail just because I touched the bag.

Anyway . . . I ate them as a child and most people consider me to be normal.

As has been said, it's the metallic coating that can stay in the body for yrs and yrs. It also is cumulative so over the yrs the more you eat the more it builds up in your body. The body does NOT elimate it ever.

Lots of opinions here...lol....everything in moderation perhaps..?????

I use them on my cakes, when needed....but I tell the consumer they are not edible....the the whole conversation starts about..."...geez, I ate those when I was a kid..."

Eat em, you'll live. The exhaust from the car you drove to the store to get em is much worse.

Yeah, yeah, and apple seeds contain arsenic. How many have I eaten/swallowed while growing up?! So much for the apple a day thing. The next law they pass will make it illegal to sell apples because they have the potential to poison us I agree. Everything in moderation-except cake. That's good for you. Eat lots of it

ETA: Pardon me, cyanide. That's better. I was always told arsenic Cyanide, arsenic, metal poisoning from silver edible balls...

Heck, you gotta die from something!!

I too was a childhood dragee eater
I'm not sure I can look my family in the face any more , I'm so embarrased
Dr. Phil says you can't fix what you don't acknowledge, maybe I'm on the road to recovery
Thanks for listening

Jibbies

Y'all, I used to live in CA where they are "illegal," I didn't know that they were illegal until I went to purchase them and was told the situation. After browsing around the store awhile the owner approached me and whispered under his breath, "I have the dragees...follow me to the back of the store." HAHAHAAAA! I felt like I was trying to make a drug deal or purchase contraban...too funny...

So are men in CA walking around in trenchcoats, opening them wide and going "Psst! Hey lady! Wanna buy some dragees? Genuine and cheap!"

I'm pushing 50. I've been eating dragees since I was a kid. Not by the fists full - but I've been eating them. I'm not setting off scanners at the airport yet, so I'm not going to sweat it - I'll continue to eat a couple dragees every month or so.

Tootall, that's pretty much what it felt like! It's as if they are "smuggling them in" from other states! Heheeeee...