I 100% agree with Blakescakes. Plastic has no purpose on any food item. I even emailed a supplier whose website says that the disco dust is "for non-edible decorations only", but has a picture of a cupcake with the dust sprinkled all over the top of the frosting. I wanted to know why they would display a cupcake with this dust sprinkled on it when their own website says it isn't to be used on non-edible food items; I never received a reply. I have used disco dust before on non-edible food items, and I informed the recipient that these pieces needed to be removed and not eaten, because the decorations had the non-edible dust on it.
Yup, plastic isn't food--i don't think anyone can debate that! We don't bake plastic into our cakes so why would we sprinkle it on our buttercream? I have to admit though, with all the kids I've seen who have ingested various inedible items (glue, candles, glitter, gum, crayons, and even dog poo) and had no symptoms whatsoever, I can't in good conscience say that there will be catastrophic consequences if someone were to eat a couple sparkles. Does that mean that I recommend people eat those things? Certainly not! (Especially the last one! 
) But I've learned that if people do eat weird, inedible, and even gross stuff it doesn't necessarily spell the end. Not saying feeding sparkles to people is advisable, just that there are worse things in life. Just to be clear...I DON'T MEAN THAT IT'S OK TO EAT PLASTIC, CANDLES OR DOG POO!
Here is FDA approved:
Platinum dusts give a shimmery, pearl-like finish. In the dry form, use for dusting. Mix with oil based flavors or alcohol for painting and hightlighting. These are currently the FDA approved dusts that produce a metallic shimmer.
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/mini.aspx?ShopId=46&CatId=534&SubCatId=1591
Silver Glitter- Platinum Dust
Brilliant Silver- Platinum Dust
Glimmer of Red- Platinum Dust
Silver Silk- Platinum Dust
Glimmer of Gold- Platinum Dust
plus three more to choose from
And all I was trying to say about craft glitter is that I wouldn't put that on baking regardless of whether it's eaten or not...sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes...or colon!
You do nothing wrong by asking a question...I think it's a good thing to ask, since I HAVE seen people in my area who have sprinkled the entire surface of the cake with the stuff. It's confusing if you don't know that it's just plastic glitter. I think that the assumption is made that if it's on cake it must be okay to eat, and honestly, for the majority of people who don't have intestinal problems it probably won't hurt you. But that doesn't mean that I want to eat it.
All of this discussion has confirmed that I need to use something else and not disco dust. Although my fondant bow is not likely to be eaten, I just don't feel right about sprinkling plastic on something that is going to sit on the top tier of the cake. However, I am still not sure what to use and what will give it some hint of sparkle.
You know, I saw that show too. At one point he refers to them as "Disco Truffles" or something along those lines. She also "bronzes" a chocolate bunny with luster dust which she claims is edible, but it's not...
So luster dust is not edible either?? I thought it was????
Aspartame controversy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The artificial sweetener aspartame has been the subject of several controversies since its initial approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974. The FDA approval of aspartame was highly contested,[1] with critics alleging that the quality of the initial research supporting its safety was inadequate and flawed and that conflicts of interest marred the approval of aspartame.[2][3][4] In 1987, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the food additive approval process had been followed properly for aspartame.[2][5] In spite of this, critics like anti-aspartame activist Betty Martini[6] have promoted undocumented claims that numerous health risks (such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, methanol toxicity, blindness, spasms, shooting pains, seizures, headaches, depression, anxiety, memory loss, birth defects and death[7]) are associated with the consumption of aspartame in normal doses. These health risk claims have been examined and debunked by numerous scientific research projects, and are also generally dismissed by governments and major health and food safety organizations.[2][8][9]
Publicity of this controversy has been spread through an elaborate health scare[10] and "Internet smear campaign"[11] involving hoax[10][12][11] e-mails repeating Betty Martini's widely circulated conspiracy theory. Her undocumented claims are still repeated by thousands of self-published Web sites.
Aspartame has been found to be safe for human consumption by more than ninety countries worldwide,[13][14] with FDA officials describing aspartame as "one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives the agency has ever approved" and its safety as "clear cut".[4] The weight of existing scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe as a non-nutritive sweetener.[8]
Despite all those scientific research in various countries, most of them are almost always funded directly or indirectly by big companies that uses aspartame in many of their products. While it might not be a poison, it is still bad for you. There have been plenty of independent studies showing that they are harmone disrupters and may cause various issues in various people.
Do not believe everything the internet or wikipedia says. Wikipedia is very unreliable source of information.
Ok, sorry, I just found the end of this thread - will come back nd read the rest later. But quickly about aspartame. The company claims that it passes through the body untouched, but you can go to the FDA website and it clearly states that something like 20% is indeed metabolized. I had it booked marked, but I have a new computer. Anyway, I personally would not eat a chlorinated hydrocarbon.
Oh, yeh - who do you think wrote that Wikipedia article. These companies spend tons of money on lobbyists for heaven's sake, I'm pretty sure they can write wiki content, too. I'm also pretty sure they try to have enough good stuff about it come up on google before anything credible sounding against it.
You know, that's "the thing"---when you tell the layman what it really IS, they're horrified.
The looks on their faces is priceless--sort of like you just told them that it had come from the gut of a lab rat.
After a pregnant pause, they invariably say, "Really--are you serious? I'm so glad you told me. No, I don't want THAT on my cake!!! What else can you use to get a nice sparkle???"
They don't want to eat it and they're incredulous that anyone would put it on FOOD.
I love the FDA approved Crystal Colors. You can't beat the versatility of them and they do the job so well. The pearls mixed with edible (gum arabic) sparkles and/or sanding sugar makes a nice product that can be eaten.
Rae
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