Hi Kim,
Here is a thread on dusts.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-54059.html
Sorry, but this debate will never end....
It really comes down to a choice. The luster dusts are non-toxic. If you eat them, they won't make you sick. They contain no food products, so that is why they're not classified as edible, merely non-toxic. In the UK, they are classified as edible.
I've used dusts on cakes and cookies, as do many decorators, and everyone is just fine. The quantities are so minute--2grams can last for years--that for me, it's not a conern. Not to be a smart aleck(sp), but if it's good enough for the Brits, it's good enough for me.
Rae
I use tons of luster and petal dust. Colette Peters paints a lot of her cakes with it. I feel very confortable putting it on everything. I even color white chocolate with it. The FDA has a lot of rules and regulations that are more for risk management potential than common sense. All the decorators I know use it . . . and silver dragees. Do what your confortable with.
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