Hi. I am a chemist and part time cake decorator. I have been visiting the Wilton boards, but was directed here after I a post I made there. I posted on that forum a few weeks ago about wondering if the foam rollers were safe to use on the cakes. I called the company for the rollers I purchased at Lowe's and they suggested that I not use them on food items as they are made in countries with far less restrictions than the US, and they were never meant to be used with food.
I decided to test the rollers to see if any chemicals were present that would be harmful. I gave samples to my husband and after a couple of weeks of testing, he gave me the results.
The rollers leach some chemicals out over time, and they are pretty nasty. They are called isocyanates and they cause cancer. Just some information for any of you using the high density foam rollers to smooth out the cake. I will not be using them to smooth my cakes and would not want to risk the lives of the people I am making cakes for.
I have posted this here because it was requested of me by many people.
personally --- repeat --- PERSONALLY ---
I don't have enough info to make an informed decision.
What where the rollers tested IN or ON?
Where they soaked in a liquid? If so - what liquids? How long? What temp?
Where they tested w/ on fats? What kinds? How? Contact time?
Where they tested on sugar? If so, how? contact time?
What was the rate of leaching? (as in ppm / unit of time)
At what level of concentration do isocyanates become toxic?
How long at the rate of leaching detected would it be before the icing became toxic? (this would be a factor of contact time, materials used on, temp)
and just which forms and in what concentration where the isocyanates present?
was it:
TDI toluene diisocyanate
MDI methylene bis-phenylisocyanate
(diphenylmethane diisocyanate)
HDI hexamethylene diisocyanate
NDI naphthalene diisocyanate
HMDI methylene bis-cyclohexylisocyanate
(hydrogenated MDI)
IPDI isophorone diisocyanate
????????????????
-----
I get so tired of "THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!"
even water is toxic -- it's called drowning
good ol' oxygen is toxic in too high of concentration
every piece of plastic in the kitchen, even food safe, leaches chemicals all the time -- the rate is just so low, that it's a non-issue.
your metal pots and pans leach (and that can be a good thing if working w/ cast iron -- it boosts your iron levels! and can be a bad thing in other cases -- like copper and acid based foods)
look at plastic wraps --- many now clearly say don't let them touch food while in microwave but ok otherwise. they're still leaching, just not as fast and "nuked" in as in microwave.
and do I have to remind you of that film on the inside of car windows??? plasticizers leaching out of all that plastic stuff in the car.
and talk to those sensitive to formaldehyde about oriented strand board (OSB) and other manufactured materials.
and then there's saccharin and other artificial sweeteners, food dyes, ....and on and on.
----------------------------------
point is --- too much of ANY thing can make you sick or even kill you.
all things in moderation! (except for CHOCOLATE!!!!)
-----
oh and w/ research you will discover that isocyantes is a whole group of chemicals, some forms -- especially toluene diisocyanate -- more toxic that others, that are used to make lots of common products -- as in your life is LOADED w/ them! Some of you have already even used them in a "hazardous" form -- they're in certain varnishes and many forms of polyurethane as in the that stuff that gives such a high gloss finish to wood, and in paints made for use on plastics ---- OH MY GOSH -- you're killing yourself painting the patio furniture, refinishing the floor/cabinet/chest (hmmm so that's why the always say "use in a well ventilated area or use a respirator capable of removing organic compounds)
a simple google search will reveal lots of info from various gov. / industry and OSHA compliance providers about them.
Interestingly -- almost all talk most about the INHALED effects of isocyantes as they are volatile liquids -- meaning they evaporate quickly. Tho' they do mention they can be ingested (eaten) as well.
and.... interestingly -- they all say while proven to cause asthma, skin/eye irritation, lung irritation, and kidney / liver damage at certain concentrations and levels of SUSTAINED (day after day on the job site) exposure -- there is NO conclusive proof they cause cancer in HUMANS -- tho' they do in lab animals (hmmmmm very reminiscent of the all broo-ha-ha about saccharin -- oh dear poor little lab rat gets cancer after being fed saccharin -- of course they fed it at levels that far exceeded what any human would be able to consume --- basically poisoned the animal with it! --- and OH MY -- surprise surprise - it got sick -- well no wonder. even I, chocoholic that i am would soon be sick and barfing if force fed chocolate in mass quantities!)
------
and saying "it leached....." is really telling me nothing until i know which form(s), how much, how fast and under what specific conditions.
there is a distinct LACK of the proper scientific method in this report of leaching -- as in NO DATA!
I don't put it directly on my cake anyhow, I put the typing paper down , then i roll on top of that. Comes out good every time. Thanks for the info though.
There is something to be said about NFS or "food surface aproved" just like people who use garbage bags to store food????maybe there is something in there to keep mold and mildew under control jmo...thanks for letting me add my comment!!!
I don't put it directly on my cake anyhow, I put the typing paper down , then i roll on top of that. Comes out good every time. Thanks for the info though.
'
::mustering his best .... concerned announcer voice over tone designed to strike TERROR in the hearts of people everywhere!::
--------------
THE SKY IS FALLING AGAIN!!!!!!!'
do you know what chemicals are used to bleach paper white?!?!!?!?!?!?
and to make it?!?!?!?!??!
is it classified food-grade safe!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!
or is it just GRAS (generally recognized as safe -- as in it ain't killed any one yet!) 
(i so love being the little devil!)
Ghee with everything around us and everything we put in our mouths killing us I guess there is no reason not to die fat and happy! Eat more cake!
re: fat -- only so long as it is the result of chocolate and cheese, please! 
-----
Life is NOT without risk at EVERY turn! "something" could "get you" at any moment.
so do you live life in a bubble (which of course could burst, the filter clog, the ventilator motor break, etc) and perpetual fear of "it"
or as weirkd points out -- get on with life and enjoy it?
personally --- repeat --- PERSONALLY ---
I don't have enough info to make an informed decision.
What where the rollers tested IN or ON?
Where they soaked in a liquid? If so - what liquids? How long? What temp?
Where they tested w/ on fats? What kinds? How? Contact time?
Where they tested on sugar? If so, how? contact time?
What was the rate of leaching? (as in ppm / unit of time)
At what level of concentration do isocyanates become toxic?
How long at the rate of leaching detected would it be before the icing became toxic? (this would be a factor of contact time, materials used on, temp)
and just which forms and in what concentration where they isocyanates present?
was it:
TDI toluene diisocyanate
MDI methylene bis-phenylisocyanate
(diphenylmethane diisocyanate)
HDI hexamethylene diisocyanate
NDI naphthalene diisocyanate
HMDI methylene bis-cyclohexylisocyanate
(hydrogenated MDI)
IPDI isophorone diisocyanate
????????????????
-----
I get so tired of "THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!"
even water is toxic -- it's called drowning
good ol' oxygen is toxic in too high of concentration
every piece of plastic in the kitchen, even food safe, leaches chemicals all the time -- the rate is just so low, that it's a non-issue.
your metal pots and pans leach (and that can be a good thing if working w/ cast iron -- it boosts your iron levels! and can be a bad thing in other cases -- like copper and acid based foods)
look at plastic wraps --- many now clearly say don't let them touch food while in microwave but ok otherwise. they're still leaching, just not as fast and "nuked" in as in microwave.
and do I have to remind you of that film on the inside of car windows??? plasticizers leaching out of all that plastic stuff in the car.
and talk to those sensitive to formaldehyde about oriented strand board (OSB) and other manufactured materials.
and then there's saccharin and other artificial sweeteners, food dyes, ....and on and on.
----------------------------------
point is --- too much of ANY thing can make you sick or even kill you.
all things in moderation! (except for CHOCOLATE!!!!)
-----
oh and w/ research you will discover that isocyantes is a whole group of chemicals, some forms -- especially toluene diisocyanate -- more toxic that others, that are used to make lots of common products -- as in your life is LOADED w/ them! Some of you have already even used them in a "hazardous" form -- they're in certain varnishes and many forms of polyurethane as in the that stuff that gives such a high gloss finish to wood, and in paints made for use on plastics ---- OH MY GOSH -- you're killing yourself painting the patio furniture, refinishing the floor/cabinet/chest.
a simple google search will reveal lots of info from various gov. / industry and OSHA compliance providers about them.
Interestingly -- almost all talk most about the INHALED effects of isocyantes as they are volatile liquids -- meaning they evaporate quickly. Tho' they do mention they can be ingested (eaten) as well.
and.... interestingly -- they all say while proven to cause asthma, skin/eye irritation, lung irritation, in very high concentration kidney / liver damage -- there is NO conclusive proof they cause cancer in HUMANS -- tho' they do in lab animals (hmmmmm very reminiscent of the all broo-ha-ha about saccharin -- oh dear poor little lab rat gets cancer after being fed saccharin -- of course they fed it at levels that far exceeded what any human would be able to consume --- basically poisoned the animal with it! --- and OH MY -- surprise surprise - it got sick -- well no wonder. even I, chocoholic that i am would soon be sick and barfing if force fed chocolate in mass quantities!)
------
and saying "it leached....." is really telling me nothing until i know which form(s), how much, how fast and under what specific conditions.
there is a distinct LACK of the proper scientific method in this report of leaching -- as in NO DATA!
And we wonder why we get cancer later in life.........?????
gpenguin, I'm sure we all appreciate your post, as it was written with pure care and concern.
However, I agree with what Doug said. Everything can get someone sick, whether it might contain chemicals or not. My body, for one, cannot tolerate sweet substitutes like Splenda...it gives me severe-double-over-I-think-I'm-going-to-die stomach cramps. I don't think it's healthy for people to use it, yet it's used all of the time. Who knows, maybe in 10 years the "experts" will conduct their tests and gather their "data" and find that that causes some type of extreme illness. But until that data is proved, people will continue to use it, just like the rollers.
And we wonder why we get cancer later in life.........?????
actually cancer has been w/ us all through history.
in a different age it fell into the catch-all diagnosis "consumption" or "they have a 'wasting' disease."
read up on it -- and you'll find it's more a problem today for two reasons ---
yes---our more chemical laden life (tho' there are many natural organic things that can cause it too!)
and
dag nab it -- it's part of the price we pay for simply living LONGER than before. with life expectancies now easily surpassing "three score and ten", aka 70 years... of course it is seen more and more -- we're finally living long enough to give it a chance to do it's dirty trick on more of us.
(remember social security was originally base on the premise that if retired at 65, most recipients would be dead by 70, end of payments!)
tragically, yes, it can hit ANY age -- even with the best of precautions, the best of diets, etc.
----
i refuse to live in fear of it. if it happens it happens. just let me die knowing I enjoyed life and didn't live in fear of living it.
My goodness Doug did you eat your Wheaties this morning? 
Wow ~ you said a mouthful. My mind doesn't comprehend all that mind-boggling information but hey ~ I'm speechless and impressed. I love my sponge roller and I hate the thought of giving it up.
You know ~ has anyone noticed that when covering cake boards with Fanci Foil the coloring wipes off the paper? I always wondered why that stuff is considered "safe" for food use. Even using papertowels on cakes to smooth them leaves lint on the cake. I figure we breathe that stuff in every second so surely a little on the cake won't hurt anything
But seriously, if using the sponge rollers on cakes is a dangerous health hazzard I'll grudgingly give mine up and cry 
every time I have to smooth a cake with a knife and hot water (I never was very good at that).
personally --- repeat --- PERSONALLY ---
I don't have enough info to make an informed decision.
That is your choice.
What where the rollers tested IN or ON?
They were not tested on anything. The way the particular machine works is by testing a liquid the item has soaked in to find out what has come into it.
Where they soaked in a liquid? If so - what liquids? How long? What temp?
They were soaked in water and in mineral oil (to reperesent the fats of the butter/crisco). In reality, more would leach out into the butter or crisco due to the molecular structure, but since it can't be run with a solid, the most reliable representation had to be used. The samples were tested after an hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, five hours. I know you wouldn't leave a roller on a cake for those amounts of times, but I noticed people said they don't do anything but wipe off the roller when they have finished. That is no different if there is icing sitting on it letting it leach right out.
Where they tested w/ on fats? What kinds? How? Contact time?
Answered in previous question, but will state again that fats would only make more leach out.
Where they tested on sugar? If so, how? contact time?
No, but only because the equipment and time were being used at no charge. If you would like to send around $2000 to have a more thorough testing done feel free.
What was the rate of leaching? (as in ppm / unit of time)
I don't have the exact numbers, but I was alarmed when my husband and his boss said "People use this on food?" after the firts one hour test was run. I was told not to expose our children to it.
At what level of concentration do isocyanates become toxic?
It all depends on the individual. Are you allergic to poison ivy? I'm not. I can have a lot of exposure with no reaction. My sister has to have steroid shots when exposed to it. In diisocyanates, the most common reactions start from contact dermititis in the form of a rash. It can take very low concentrations to cause this. I wouldn't want to imagine if that same person ingested it.
How long at the rate of leaching detected would it be before the icing became toxic? (this would be a factor of contact time, materials used on, temp)
I stated earlier that after an hour there was enough concern from two chemists (one with a PhD) that I not use them on food. PERSONALLY, that was enough for me.
and just which forms and in what concentration where the isocyanates present?
The two MOST COMMON diisocyanates used are MDI and TDI. If you want to learn more about their toxicities visit www.isofacts.org and make your own informed choice. This particualr test does not tell what isocyanate was found, but that it was.
Let me ask you what your chemsitry degree is in? MINE is in Polymer Science as is my husband's. Chemicals are one thing I have dealt with for a long time. I know enough to kow what I want to expose my children to and what I think is safe. I don't forward the emails with claims of Swiffer wetjet causing dogs and children to die because I know that is fake. I am telling you what I PERSONALLY took upon MYSELF to find out so I could be WELL INFORMED. If I am not willing to expose my children to it whay would I expose others to it, too?
I get so tired of "THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!"
even water is toxic -- it's called drowning
good ol' oxygen is toxic in too high of concentration
every piece of plastic in the kitchen, even food safe, leaches chemicals all the time -- the rate is just so low, that it's a non-issue.
your metal pots and pans leach (and that can be a good thing if working w/ cast iron -- it boosts your iron levels! and can be a bad thing in other cases -- like copper and acid based foods)
look at plastic wraps --- many now clearly say don't let them touch food while in microwave but ok otherwise. they're still leaching, just not as fast and "nuked" in as in microwave.
and do I have to remind you of that film on the inside of car windows??? plasticizers leaching out of all that plastic stuff in the car.
and talk to those sensitive to formaldehyde about oriented strand board (OSB) and other manufactured materials.
and then there's saccharin and other artificial sweeteners, food dyes, ....and on and on.
----------------------------------
point is --- too much of ANY thing can make you sick or even kill you.
Thank you for stating the obvious. Again, I was making a post because I was asked to. I wasn't running around screaming the sky is falling. You turned it into that. I was merely stating what I found.
-----
oh and w/ research you will discover that isocyantes is a whole group of chemicals, some forms -- especially toluene diisocyanate -- more toxic that others, that are used to make lots of common products -- as in your life is LOADED w/ them! Some of you have already even used them in a "hazardous" form -- they're in certain varnishes and many forms of polyurethane as in the that stuff that gives such a high gloss finish to wood, and in paints made for use on plastics ---- OH MY GOSH -- you're killing yourself painting the patio furniture, refinishing the floor/cabinet/chest (hmmm so that's why the always say "use in a well ventilated area or use a respirator capable of removing organic compounds)
a simple google search will reveal lots of info from various gov. / industry and OSHA compliance providers about them.
Interestingly -- almost all talk most about the INHALED effects of isocyantes as they are volatile liquids -- meaning they evaporate quickly. Tho' they do mention they can be ingested (eaten) as well.
and.... interestingly -- they all say while proven to cause asthma, skin/eye irritation, lung irritation, and kidney / liver damage at certain concentrations and levels of SUSTAINED (day after day on the job site) exposure -- there is NO conclusive proof they cause cancer in HUMANS -- tho' they do in lab animals (hmmmmm very reminiscent of the all broo-ha-ha about saccharin -- oh dear poor little lab rat gets cancer after being fed saccharin -- of course they fed it at levels that far exceeded what any human would be able to consume --- basically poisoned the animal with it! --- and OH MY -- surprise surprise - it got sick -- well no wonder. even I, chocoholic that i am would soon be sick and barfing if force fed chocolate in mass quantities!)
------
and saying "it leached....." is really telling me nothing until i know which form(s), how much, how fast and under what specific conditions.
there is a distinct LACK of the proper scientific method in this report of leaching -- as in NO DATA!
As a person who has actually worked with isocyanates in various forms for over 20 years, I can tell you I FULLY understand what they can do. Again, please let me know what chemical background you have, because not everything is right out on the internet for you to see. Some of it takes life experience.
This will teach me to bother letting others try to make a more informed decision.
gpenguin, sorry you got so offended by Doug's post, but you have to admit that your original post was pretty generic. You never stated your background or any real "data" as to why these rollers may or may not be harmful.
I don't know if you ever decorate cakes or not, but these rollers are a such a time saver on cakes and, in my opinion, do the best job. You have to understand that most of us would really question and argue with your original, generic sounding post when you were stating that the tool that many of us rely on the most is not safe.
ooooh..not to hurt anyone's feelings here or anything, but I'm so tired of hearing how doing this is bad, and doing that is bad for your health. My grandmother is 89 years old, she ate vegetables straight out of the ground, opened caned food without washing the lid, licked the back of envelopes (ect., etct.) and she is just fine!
I'll never give up my foam roller! Melvira is my hero!!
This will teach me to bother letting others try to make a more informed decision.
I want to THANK you for giving me this information. I was thinking about using this method and now I will not. So you posting helped me make the decision that I think is best for me. 
I completely understand your feelings.
Susie
This is very interesting, and I am not surprised about the chemical results. I often wonder about many things I use in the kitchen. I can say that my rollers are washed and dried (soap & water) after each use. When I use them, they are slightly damp to avoid picking up any icing that may not have dried enough. Am I taking a chance using this, probably. But my skills are so limited and it is a very useful tool. I often wonder about the use of plastic wraps, silicone coated parchment paper, things like that; but there are so many bad things out there, one could go crazy with worry.
Please note, I do appreciate the time and effort into your research; was alot of very good information.
Now, for someone in the cake decorating business to devise a tool we can use that would be considered "food safe".
Deb
ooooh..not to hurt anyone's feelings here or anything, but I'm so tired of hearing how doing this is bad, and doing that is bad for your health. My grandmother is 89 years old, she ate vegetables straight out of the ground, opened caned food without washing the lid, licked the back of envelopes (ect., etct.) and she is just fine!
I'll never give up my foam roller! Melvira is my hero!!
I so agree! Like another poster on this thread, I am also ServSafe certified (although I took a 4 month long, intense course on it) and I think that there are things that are much worse than a clean roller (I do clean mine after every use) that has spent not more than a few seconds on a cake.
Melvira is also my hero, and no, I'm not giving up my roller, either.
gpenguin, sorry you got so offended by Doug's post, but you have to admit that your original post was pretty generic. You never stated your background or any real "data" as to why these rollers may or may not be harmful.
Actually in my original post I did say I was a part time cake decorator and a chemist.
I was the one who asked her to post here. I also belong to the Wilton forums and when she first came to us saying she was a chemist and was wondering how safe these rollers were, I was all ears. She told us she would have her husband do some tests and when the results were in I ASKED her to come here and post them thinking people would be as concerned as I was.
I know there are so many crazy emails, posts, etc that aren't true and are just 'the sky is falling', but this to me was a legitimate concern seeing as these rollers were not made for food while frying pans, spatulas, paper towels, plastic wrap, etc are specifically MADE to come in contact with food.
Sorry gpenguin *shrug*, I didn't think you were going to get this kind of response.
gpenguin ~ I always wash my roller in hot water with Dawn dishwashing liquid. I then let it airdry. The soap rinses out of the sponges very easily. I even wash every roller in the same manner when I remove it from the package. I'm wondering if washing them in this manner will lessen or rid the amount of the chemical?
As far as you saying
This will teach me to bother letting others try to make a more informed decision
I say please don't let this hinder you. It's better for you to let info like this be known that to let it go and regret it later.
I've been using the roller since long before Melvira mentioned it on CC. Only my family knew about it 'cause I hoped to marked one designated for food one day (although in reality it costs tons of money to do that 
). Maybe someone out there has the financial background to do it.
CC is a wonderful community of people who share ideas and information and help each other out. All you can do is put the information out there and then it's up to everyone else to make their choice.
I wonder about the sponges that Wilton sells for gumpaste use. Would they also leach the same chemical?
I appreciate the info provided concerning the rollers and the possibility of chemicals leaching in to the icings. I wondered about a "paint" roller to begin with... I am sure the method is great. Perhaps it is time for a food grade roller to smooth the icing. Someone get on that!!! Anyhow, my reason for being grateful for the info is... my future daughter in law has a butt load of things that will set off a reaction in her body. I would be hesitant to use the roller for that reason. If she (a pretty normal girl in all other respects) can have reactions to no see ems... why couldn't someone else??? Anyhow, thank you for the info...
As for the "sky is falling"... yep, I have seen enough of that too... and I have to say I tire of that as well... in this case... I feel like... I am licensed and I have a responsibility to ensure that my clients are getting cakes made in as clean and non-toxic environment as possible (perhaps my perspective is a bit tweeked because of my FDIL but, I guess that is what it is). With this info... I do not see how I could use this process...
gpenguin ~ I always wash my roller in hot water with Dawn dishwashing liquid. I then let it airdry. The soap rinses out of the sponges very easily. I even wash every roller in the same manner when I remove it from the package. I'm wondering if washing them in this manner will lessen or rid the amount of the chemical?
He told me there was less of the chemical in the water, but not much less. The chemical is hydrophobic so it doesn't dissolve into water as easily as it would oils, which is why he tested with both. I'm not sure how much washing would help. It is more of a time release kind of thing so the chemical is always going to be there. I was much more concerend with the amount in the oil since icing is oil based.
I wonder about the sponges that Wilton sells for gumpaste use. Would they also leach the same chemical?
If they are selling them for food products, they have already gone through the testing.
gpenquin, I for one am thankful you posted regarding the high-density roller chemical findings. To be informed is good and to be wise about what surrounds us is just good smart common sense.
In the future If you have further information to share regarding this subject please do post it on this thread for those of us who are interested in knowing more about it and in the meantime I will try to do some research of my own. My husband has been in manufacturing for over 30 years now and has a tremendous amount of access to chemicals information of all kinds.
Please do not be offended by any challenging reply post to your subject and for pete's sake do not let it stop you from enjoying CC in every possible way! I personally think your post has sparked a tremendous amount of attention and interest and has been well received by most. Everyone has their own opinion about things and it is viewing both sides of an issue that we can come to a good and smart informed decision for our own personal self. I for one take factual info very seriously!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND SHARING YOUR DEGREED KNOWLEDGE!!
Thank you so much gpenguin for taking the time to share the results of the test with everyone here on CC. I am very grateful to you. I read how wonderful the roller works and I must admit I have been tempted to try it but I was afraid because it's not classified as "food safe". By the way, welcome to CC......
I am glad that we have a forum where things can be discussed, even though things get a little heated 
sometimes.
I am grateful to both Doug and gpenguin for their insights, facts and opinions.
I have been using the paper towel method for 26 years and I have mental visions of me trying to learn how to roll a roller over a cake surface 
lol, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to use it after I threw it on the ground and stomped on it
I hope everybody has a great cake day 
Jibbies
Thank you to all the positive comments I have received. I was just trying to share information and had no idea I would be attacked. I thought it would be a wonderful method for me to smooth my cakes. I was dissapointed in the results because I wanted to use the roller, but just couldn't until I knew for sure. I have two small children and I think of their safety before my own. I am actually starting to get pretty good at the Viva method and since paper towels were meant to come in contact with food, I don't mind using it.
I also use the Viva towel method for smoothing my cakes. I was actually even hesitant about using that in the beginning, so I wrote to Kimberly Clark and inquired about it's safety on using it in such a manner. I was told that if using the paper towels on food, to only use the plain white towels (unprinted). That's what I've done and I can get a cake perfectly smooth without any worry of using it. I would think that maybe the roller could be used on top of the Viva paper towel without a problem if anyone is hesitant about using the roller in direct contact with the icing.
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