Non-Toxic versus Edible: What's the Difference?

Non-Toxic

Have you ever eaten a crayon? I mean, not recently. Like, when you were a kid. This is a rhetorical question, so don't bother denying it-- all kids do it at some point. 

The point is, you're still here! Go you! Is it because your body is that of a god or goddess, and you are immune to the effects of a good old fashioned poisoning? Unlikely. It has more to do with the fact that although that crayon wasn't intended to be eaten, it didn't contain any ingredients that would poison or kill you. Your body didn't digest it and instead simply kept it moving along in the Exit Only lane. This is what happens with non-toxic bakery decorations, too. They aren't generally going to make you sick, but they really just aren't meant to be ingested. 

How to Know What You Have, and When to Use Them

Non-toxic decorations can be used on your cakes and cookies as long as they can be removed before eating (think decorative flowers or large decorative sprinkles). If your client wants their cake to be shining like a disco ball, you should make sure to purchase a sparkle dust that is clearly labeled “edible,” as once a cake is coated in sparkle dust, it's impossible to remove. If your product doesn't have an ingredients list, or if it says “for decoration only,” then it is likely firmly in the non-toxic camp, and you should look for an alternative. If, however, you are looking to paint a fondant topper that won't be eaten, a non-toxic product can be fine as long as everyone involved is aware that it should not be eaten; that being said, there are so many great “edible” products on the market nowadays that keeping your pantry free of “for decorative use only” products is relatively easy.

If you are in the baked goods business (or thinking about getting into it), your food license is on the line if you get caught using unregulated, unapproved ingredients in and on your products. This is a case where it is NOT better to ask forgiveness than permission. It can be hard to tell a customer waving a Pinterest photo of a golden birthday cake that their vision is essentially reliant on sparkles from the craft aisle at Michael's, but it's better to have a realistic chat than have someone getting sick because they just assumed everything on a cake should be edible.

It is also worth noting again that rules and regulations vary from country to country. Gold and silver dragees, for example, are fine to use in Canada and Europe, but the US Food and Drug Administration says they're a no-go. If you purchase from a sprinkle company based in Canada, their mixes are likely to have those little gold or silver balls in them, which is perfectly acceptable in the country where they are sold. But as soon as that bottle lands on your counter here in the US, you have to be aware that those dragees technically need to be removed from your cake, cookies, etc before the actual baked good is eaten.  

Now that you know the difference between non-toxic and edible products, you can make an educated decision when it comes to purchasing products and decorating your cakes and cookies. And if you truly miss the thrill that riling up an entire Facebook group of cookie people gave you, feel free to stop in there every now and again and take a firm stance on using baking powder in your cookie recipe. Happy baking!