I have lots of recipe books which give the recipe for royal icing..for small amounts 1 egg white to 250grams icing sugar. I used it to cover the dowels and to stick down the 6" board for my 2nd tier down securely. So not really using it for consumption. Still I'm now worried about giving anyone food poisoning. Does anyone have advice. They wouldn't give out these recipes if unsafe??

There is sooo much sugar to whites - you are safe.

Thank you for your reply. I asked this question on another cake site and someone answered that I would virtually have the whole party in hospital with salmonella!! I've been so worried!! I think next time I will use powdered form.

Your answer has made me feel more at ease

Once it dries, it's safe. My brother-in-law prefers to eat dry royal icing flowers instead of candy...no problems at all even for that quantity.

It appears you are not in the US so from what I hear eggs are not kept in the frig. Taht might cause some problems
IF you are *sure!* the egg white is *fresh* then no, there should be no problem.
Whoever gave you that opinion was rather off base Royal icing has been used for *YEARS!* and I dare say I have never heard of anyone (much less that whole wedding party!) getting sick from eating a cake (or decoratiions) that had royal icing on it

Yes I'm in the UK and the supermarkets don't keep them in the fridge..but I do refridgerate them once I get them home and they have a long use by date on them. Plus here we have a lion stamp on them which means the chickens from those eggs have been vaccinated.

The advice from a uk based cake forum has been doom and gloom..so yes was concerned I was going to hospitalise the whole party!

Your advice makes complete sense..unless that particular royal icing was made with dried egg whites??

I shall try to worry no more!!thank you

If it makes you feel any better, I make gingerbread houses with royal icing glue. I've made them for customers and my own grandchildren. (who held onto the houses for two weeks) then after Christmas would run around the room grabbing chunks of the house and eating it until they couldn't eat any more. Dry and two weeks old, they never get sick.

Sorry guys, but the FDA, USDA, and the egg board all state that the egg, any part or whole, must reach 160 degrees to be safe.

It's one thing to use your discretion for personal use, but another to sell. Your HD would confer.

The UK/USA issue about eggs and refrigeration is an aging issue. This information can also be found on those sites. Different regions have different storage issues. I think the rough numbers are that the eggs age 1 week for every day at room temp. So the eggs are the same, just get older quicker.

For raw egg whites, the only safe way to use them without heat is to use pasteurized eggs in their shells. The pasteurized whites in the cartons are not as safe. Safer, but not completely.

You should use the pasteurised egg whites in a carton, then your royal icing will be extra safe You can check with your EHO if it makes you feel better, I discussed the use of raw eggs and whites a lot and got an A.OK

What UK forum was it? Just out of curiosity.

It's been eaten now and no-one ende up I hospital!! It was mainly used as a glue for the top tier and not eaten. Next time will use it in powder form. I always refridgerate my eggs and use lion stamped ones. Shame no-one has faith in eggs. For British members..didn't Edwina Curry cause all is panic and later retracted her statement?! Paul Bradford site

Hi
I am from Sri Lanka and here it is so very rare if someone uses albumen powder instead of raw egg whites for icing - I have never heard of such a case that someone had came down with food poisoning after having enjoyed a sweet treat. Although, I have read about many ailment and untimely deaths by consuming fast-food and deep-fried food in some developed countries....

Goodness... which British site did you use for this "advice"?

I use royal icing. A lot (although I've never covered a cake in RI).

I use fresh egg whites (not pasteurised, not powdered albumen). I use it to secure tiers together. I use it to pipe around the base of cakes. I use it to pipe inscriptions.

My EHO knows this and is perfectly happy... all she asked is that I use eggs with the Lion Stamp and not from 'farm shops' (as there was a case of these 'farm eggs' being imported from Europe, they weren't vaccinated and a lot of people did end up with food poisoning.)

I really wouldn't worry.

Did you see the exquisite royal iced cake Eddie Spence made for the Queen's jubilee? I think if it's good enough for Her Majesty, it's good enough for our customers!!

Thank you. We can be friends easily, can't we?

Lots a love

Kaly

Where are you based, Kaly?

Hello

I am at the moment in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Just came here for a holiday. Other wise, I live in Sri Lanka.

Where do you live? Would be so nice to be friends! Many thanks for the reply.

May God bless you!
Love
Kaly

I'm in the London area. What about you?

Out of interest..maybe I should post a new question. When you remove the secured tier..how do you stop the fondant from the tier below coming off with the cake board? It's was well and truly stuck to the royal icing!

Yes London too

Cool! Where abouts?

With the taking the 2nd tier off... well, I'm not usually the one who does that bit, LOL! I tend to put a little spot over the top of each dowel, so it holds it in place, but then, in theory, only a little spot in a few places should come away with the RI.

I will try that next time. Thanks

North West...you?

How long have you been making cakes? Are you on Facebook?

North East London (Ilford).

Yes, I'm on Facebook as Pat-a-Cake Parties.

You?

I have some relatives in Ilford..how funny!!

Denicious cakes

Great cakes! Do you make them?

I've only been doing this since last December..I discovered my talent quite late..and am now trying to build my clientele

Thank you.

Yes, everything done by little old me!!

I sent you a private message!

I must go now, or the roses for this weekend's cake won't get done and I'll be running around like a lunatic and staying up until stupid o'clock!

Thank you..I replied..hope you got it..I'm new to this site!

Good luck with the roses