Silver Cake Decorating Balls Not Edible

Not to ruin your Christmas cookie eating extravaganza, but you may want to think twice the next time you're about to bite into a holiday treat covered in silver sugar pearls.

The sparkling balls, formally known as silver dragées, have been causing quite the stir in the baking world for over 100 years. While it's technically legal to sell silver dragées in most states across the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration does not recommend ingesting them. In fact, all brands selling them must label the sprinkles as "for decoration only" and the baking baubles cannot be labeled as edible, according to The Huffington Post.

It was back in 1906 that the Food and Drug Administration outlawed all metallic food ingredients, including these shiny balls. But even today, the scientific research regarding their safety is still a bit blurry. While there's no evidence proving these sprinkles are poisonous or harmful when eaten in reasonable amounts, silver has been proven to be dangerous when consumed in large quantities. And in 1970, the FDA published a statement warning consumers that dragées could make your skin appear a blue-gray color if you ate too many. Yikes!

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Now, you can only find silver dragées in stores and online labeled as decorations—unless you live in California, where they're illegal. The state banned them in 2003 after one customer sued an in-state cake decorator for selling baked goods adorned with dragées, claiming they posed a threat to children oblivious to the potential dangers.

Despite the lawsuit, experts still argue that dragées probably won't harm you. "We are not aware of any health problems associated with this product," Lea Brooks, a spokesperson for the California Department of Health Services, told SFGate.com in 2003. "Levels of the metal are extremely low—you'd have to consume massive quantities. We don't know how much."

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But when it comes to Christmas cookie decorating, there are obviously lots of other safe options out there. You can experiment with classic candies like M&Ms, seasonal treats like peppermint Hershey's Kisses or mints, or other fun Christmas sprinkles. And if you just can't live without a little sparkle on your dessert, try a dash of edible glitter.

BUY NOW: Silver dragées ($7, amazon.com)

(h/t The Huffington Post )

Jessica Leigh Mattern Web Editor Jessica Leigh Mattern is a web editor and writer who covers home, holiday, DIY, crafts, travel, and more lifestyle topics.

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