This is in no way STAT! I see beautiful cookies all the time with this wonderful looking glitter to them. I get so much mixed information on this stuff that any input I can get here would be greatly appreciated.
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I used to use it - but finally realized it made my cookies taste icky. I'd use it again on something like a Gingerbread House that wasn't going to be eaten. Our Cottage Food bill tried to ban the use, but it was removed from the bill. I have a bunch...but never use it anymore. I'd rather paint on some lustre dust dry or mixed with a little vodka to get the sparkle. It is considered non-toxic, but it is not considered a food product as I understand it. Crayons are non-toxic, but I wouldn't want to eat them. I also read that Karen's Cookies has a product much like Disco Dust that IS considered edible. It was mentioned in one of the forum posts somewhere. I haven't ordered any yet so I can't speak to it. I'm interested in what others have to say about it.
Exactly what Debbie said. I do still use it though for small accents or small cookies...they say it is non-toxic but apparently your digestive system does not break it down at all and it passes right through the system...
When I first started using it a couple of years ago, I made cookies for a friend's son's 1st birthday...she called me the next day to thank me as well as share that he son had sparkly-poo (sorry for the TMI, but just thought I'd share).
I think it boils down to preference.
I've never noticed any strange taste to glittery areas on my cookies...though I have always used disco dust in confined spaces to give an extra umpf...a star on a christmas tree, a cherry on a cupcake...I actually tend to use it in small quantities on cupcakes to sparkle up the buttercream...always makes them look lovely. One thing about disco dust is, it is actually a super tiny amount that really sticks on to the cookie. I have had all my disco dusts for 2 years and they are not even close to being finished, even when students use it and it's all over my counter. I wouldn't be scared, just go for it and have fun!
After reading some of your posts, my biggest concern is using it and having someone like me "I have collagenous colitis" eat it and not know what it is. i'm not sure how it would affect my digestive system, let alone someone who may have ulcerative colitis or krones disease. The cookies look beautiful so I was hoping someone knew of an edible brand instead of just non toxic, then I might be willing to test it on my self. I checked Karens Cookies and didnt see anything new as suggested by Debbi. What an opportunity for a new invention... Just saying. Thank you all for being so helpful and supportive.
Yes, I think it's a territory that's poised for innovation. For all the reasons mentioned, disco dust is on the verge of (or already is) being banned from many cake competitions. I've heard the same thing about Karen's distributing a new edible product that's comparable, though haven't seen it. Have heard rumblings of others working on it too.
Karen's typical disco dust description doesn't say anything about FDA-approval/edibility: http://www.karenscookies.net/D...aby-Blue_p_1781.html
Karen's has this product http://www.karenscookies.net/S...lor-Dust_p_1961.html which appears to be different than disco dust and designed to be edible.
Yeah, petal dust (finer grained and less shimmery) is different than disco dust. Wilton has a line of FDA-approved petal and luster dusts, I believe, as well.
Yes I use Wilton's luster dust to make gold paint with 151 rum and also use it for making things like compasses shine a little but your right it just doesn't have the sparkle that disco dust has. Wish I knew more about making a new product like that, I'd jump on it!
I also stopped using it for the same reasons. My concern being, children often eat these cookies.
Now if I use it at all, I mix with sanding sugar that I make with granulated sugar so it's fine and a little goes a very long way.
I also would love to know more about this issue and even some of the luster dust. I am finding most luster is not food safe as well. Wilton is FDA approved, and their luster is nice, but their "glitter" is a waste of money. It's like a powder that does not shimmer. Along those same lines, I have bought the gelatin flakes and when broken up in your palm, it has a glitter look to it and is food safe.
I did the same thing Jaci - I pinched and broke up the Wilton's "flaked" glitter and used it on some 4th of July cookies when I found myself without any blue sanding sugar. It worked "okay" but the shape remained flat so it didn't look quite right.
I use disco dust - petal dusts are nice and all but I'm a glitter girl. Yes, it's not edible. Yes, my body won't break it down. But really… I eat all sorts of things that are probably much more harmful than a teeny bit of glittery plastic.
I do tell my customers (friends and family, I don't have a cookie "business" per se) that it is non-toxic and give them the option of not using it, but so far everyone has been fine with it.
That said, like an earlier comment mentioned, I only use it to accent small parts of the cookie. I would never cover an entire cookie in disco dust.
Also - I recently purchased some different gold dust in the hopes of having something more sparkly than a lustre dust (such as Wilton) but edible.
It is made in Quebec - Les Chocolats Roxy & Rich. I bought three from Golda's Kitchen in Mississauga - dark gold, nu silver, and almond. I haven't used them yet, but from looking at them they are sparkly and will make a nice paint, but they are still a fine powder, not the same sparkle factor as disco dust. And at $7.50 each they aren't exactly cost effective (compared to $4-5 for DD).
I plan to make a comparison cookie with all my gold glitters and dusts. I will link to that post when it happens. But until then.. Disco Dust Forever!!