I’ve used Edable Art glitter for years, I make sure that the products myself and the team source for Splat Cooking are safe to eat, after all Splat Cooking is all about teaching children and adults how to cook safely so the items we sell have to reflect that.
Over the years there have been other storms in teacups about glitter. Some websites have stated that the ‘glitter is not edible and is suitable for use on parts of the cake that will not be eaten’, ie cake decorations that lay on the cake and can be removed. However, everyone who has ever used this stuff knows that no matter what you do it transfers.
So we talked to the manufacturer, I’ve had lots of conversations with the lovely people at Edable Art over the years and I’ve seen toxicology reports from them as they’ve always been open and honest and I’ve satisfied myself that their glitter is ‘foodsafe’. I’ve had conversations with local trading standards chaps, David Gravy at Aylesbury is very aware of the cookery school and has been actively involved with us for the last 11 years of trading and is incredibly helpful. We were advised to market the glitter as ‘foodsafe’ not ‘edible’, when we have new staff and cookery leaders join we make sure that they know not to call the glitter edible.
However, as of Monday last week, this all changed – way before it hit the newspapers. Audrey, one of the team, did her regular check up with the FSA, there was a bulletin about just this, so she called Edable Art who were right on the ball and said that they knew all about the new guidelines and were putting together a Declaration of Compliance which they’d send us. In the meantime he was very pleased to let us know that Edable Art glitter is fully compliant with the FSA Guidelines on Edible and Non-Toxic Glitters and Dusts (April 2012). This is the only glitter Splat Cooking sell.
Things have moved on, in August we had a call from EdAble Art’s local EHO who had purchased a sample of their glitter from us – without our knowledge of what it was form, bit underhanded I think, and they’ve taken it away for analysis but won’t commit as to whether Splat Cooking ought to be selling it as a food additive or just as a decoration. The Splat Cooking Team have taken the view that until the tests come back we’re taking off any reference to ‘foodsafe’ and we’re not using it at the parties or on any of the cakes, as soon as there is an update and the results come back I’ll post it here. As far as I am aware no one has been damaged by eating the glitter but at the end it’s up to you if you decide to use it or not.
If you have any queries please do call Splat Cooking on 0870 766 8290