ARe: defecating in sparklies or unnatural colors:

Years ago, I had a dog, Snoopy, who (when he was young; he lived to be a very old dog) didn't just chase and chew on sponge rubber balls; he ATE them. And his turds bounced.

Fancy that: you can say "turd" on Cake Central. Even when you're not referring to the people of the mythical country of Turdsmania, as immortalized in a short-short from Steve Martin's "Cruel Shoes."

(I'm also reminded of an episode of M*A*S*H, in which Hawkeye Pierce prescribed methylene blue for a disagreeable patient, in order to turn his urine blue or green. Something I've always kept in the back of my mind in case I ever found myself facing an employer-mandated urine test for drugs.)

Ironically, my mom just sent me a text this morning about how she went to the only cake shop in our very large city and bought some Disco Dust for some sugar cookies she was planning on making.  I told her about this conversation and she was shocked.  She said she specifically asked if she could put Disco Dust on her cookies and she was told, "Absolutely.  This is 100% edible."

All y'all (that's more than 5 people for non-USA cakers) are FUNNY!

There is an FDA approved dust available, I don't know why nobody ever mentions it, was called platinum dust, I get it from CK who for some unknown reason just changed the name.  

http://www.ckproducts.com/categories/1284/-Previously-Platinum-Empress-Pearl

I looks and acts just the same as pear dust, but has a slightly higher pricepoint.  So if you use the recipe on the home page and use the above dust, it's food safe.   I am fairly sure you can buy it on Amazon or GSA if you can't buy wholesale.

This debate always makes me laugh a bit though because there is so much stuff that bakers - heck, ALL people that make edibles including chefs, that use totally inedible stuff in their food but we seem to focus on this one thing.  I am very glad disco dust is no longer accepted for use in cake competitions but we have so much more to go - like ribbon direct on cakes.  At least disco dust is made and packaged under some guidelines that it's going on an edible.  Ribbon is just flat disgusting, made packaged and shipped with all kinds of poisonous dyes and chemicals with no intention of going on something being eaten, but it's used all the time on 99% of the cakes on here.  But hey, I'm a huge hypocrite now, I spent the first 3 years of my bakery business having a "no ribbon" policy for my cakes and spent countless hours perfecting an invisible seam technique that makes the tiers blend into each other without having to use ribbon or anything else to cover it up but I've caved now because every pretty fake styled cake on Pinterest that brides bring in have pretty ribbon all over it (if the cake isn't covered in ruffles).  It sucks but it is what it is!  So guess who has 2 thumbs and is using ribbon now if a client wants it?  This gal.  Sigh.  Whatever.  Saves me a ton of time I guess instead of trying to blend the seams on my tiered cakes but I'd really rather NOT use ribbon -pretty much ever.

So.... this is where I feel all thick headed.  I have people that work and sell this stuff saying "totally safe" and then the internet saying, "No way. Not safe."  I'm erring on the side of caution, but still. Gah!!

AI have a spool of black ribbon that leeches dye onto whatever it touches, it ruined the paint job of a cupcake stand I bought and it stinks so bad, I got a headache. That crap is not going on cake! Other ribbon, I will use.

AI just saw an episode of "Unique Sweets" on Cooking Channel ("Sweets Reinvented"), almost an hour ago as I write this, in which the opening segment included not less than TWO references to disco dust, by name, describing it as "edible glitter."

I invite those of us who are as passionate as I am about the whole "disco dust is NOT Good Eats" issue to contact Cooking Channel, complaining about their perpetuating the misinformation that the stuff is edible. If Scripps Networks gets enough negative feedback on the subject, perhaps they might be inclined to stop drumming up public demand for non-edible glitter on food.

I'm in!

Perhaps the guilty bakeries themselves should be notified as well, in a spirit of gentle encouragement to not feed their clients inedible stuff.

Because if all "non-toxic" things were okay to be used on food, a cupcake with shavings of real crayons and a lovely topping of Elmer's glue would make an adorable school-themed cupcake.  A Pink Pearl eraser could be the topper.

For accountants, we could do cupcakes topped with pencil shavings, eraser doodles (don't know what the stuff erases leave on paper that we brush away are called) and shredded paper.  It's all non-toxic...must be okay to eat, right?  ;)

LOL

AI'm not an attorney, and neither do I play one on television. And I can't remember the last time I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express (I tend to prefer Comfort Inns, myself). Seriously, though, what little legal knowledge I have is concentrated in intellectual property law, not torts. (Which reminds me: should cakes for lawyers always be torted?)

James, that was an excellent example of why you should be the one to contact their legal department.  

A"gscout73," I think by admitting that you'd had some formal legal training, you've just volunteered to contact the Scripps TV legal department.

Atomsann, sorry if this is completely random, but do you have an ebay store? I LOVED your whole rant on the subject lol. I have been trying to look for anything shiny that's also edible and found www.globalsugarart.com and www.rainbowdust.co.uk. Let me know if you know anything about their products. Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm jumping in on this post after just having read all the replies. Has anybody just clicked on this CakeCentral post today on this company called TRU COLOR Natural Food Color? They are seeking funding on Kickstarter for their all natural food colors. However, they are not listing any ingredients there and I can't find anything on the internet either. I would love to support them as I have been looking for something like this for a while now. But before I do so, I would really like to know what those colors are made from. Anybody knows anything about it? Maybe I should just contact them directly....

On the Disco dust/Petal Dust note - I bought one small jar before Christmas because I was curious and used it on some of my cookies (for personal use), and was very confused about the label as well. The label says 'Non Toxic' and 'Not to be consumed. For decorative use only' So I asked the person at our local Baking supply shop that sold it to me and she said,"I guess it would be bad if you ingested the whole 4g container all at once. But since it's such a small amount (the Petal Dust), it's fine."

And what is it with the red dye 40? Aren't we all using it to get that absolutely deep red everybody wants? I cringe every time I have to use it. And now there are new health studies out on the yellow food color!

Anyway, if anybody has any info on the above company, that would be great!

Awesome thread, thanks for bringing up this subject!

Hi, yes that store is me.....In my few posts I never say that because I don't want people to think I'm advertising

on the forum.....anyway the biggest problem with disco dust is that there just has not been anything that I have

found that gives you that exact look.....There are new products that have come out that are better but still not

metallic/shiny like the disco dust.  So everyone just has to decide if they want to use it, or use it and remove it, or

stay completely away from it. When I get a question about disco dust I am always honest and tell them

that some people never use it because it's non-toxic but not an edible product. Some people use it all the time

and don't worry about it at all and some take it off.....Anyway I have looked at rainbow dust's products and they have

a line of 100% edible glitters and a line of "food contact" glitters meaning non-toxic but not edible. And they have

the line of "paints".    I have heard good and bad about all of them...Actually right now I have placed a small order

to see how they look and work for me. The problem of course then comes down to cost. The cost of bringing in a

line of products from the UK with customs and taxes etc etc can make my ability to sell at a reasonable price very

hard....So if I like them I will probably just tell people to order direct from them....Global Sugar Art has lots of nice

items and I believe their disco dust is called twinkle dust.....same thing, different name...So it always comes down

to the same thing....If you want the exact look of disco dust then that's what you have to use.  When you are a decorator

and that is your business it's hard to turn down customers because they want a look you can't replicate. Paying the

bills sometimes has to be done.....I hope that helps      ann

AI found this tutorial for making your own edible glitter: http://www.blogher.com/frame.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F01%2Fhow-to-make-edible-glitter.html&_back=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogher.com%2Fdont-buy-edible-glitter-make-your-own

I thought it was very interesting, it shines when the light hits, but it's definitely not that silvery reflection disco dust gets. Regardless, it feels safer to be able to make your own rather than trust ingredients in someone else's product.

Oh no..... I didn't know this... It never occured to me that it wasn't edible.. Far out, most my cakes have had inedible glitter splashed all over them..

Hangs my head in shame...

Just checked my supplier, this is on their website in their notes section..

• Non-toxic glitters can be used on decorations that are easily removed
• If consumed then the product will cause no harm and will simply pass through the digestive system

My family and friends have all eaten alot of plastic over the last few years...Will throw them all out tonight.

AJust repeat after me: "Plastic glitter is NOT Good Eats."

Bunny0410, be proud that you've found this out and are vowing to not use it anymore.  All too many people are aware of this and keep using it.  That includes successful storefronts, too.  SMH.