Luster Dust

1. Start rinsing eye(s) with lukewarm water.
2. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for further recommendations.

Quick Facts

Luster dust is used in decorative baking on many products, such as frosting, cake pops, and fondant to provide color, shimmer, iridescence, and sparkle. It is usually for decorative purposes only and is typically tasteless. The baker carefully selects the luster dust to make sure it is edible and will not cause harm to the consumer. A couple of cases in the United States (including an incident in Missouri) caused illness in people who ate baked goods decorated with it. 

Companies that make luster dust must include a list of ingredients on the label. The kind of luster dust that is safe to eat will have “edible” marked on the label. However, there is another kind labeled “for decorative purposes only” or “non-toxic,” and these are not edible. If you find that you have used a nonedible type of dust, remove it from the baked good before eating. 

Bottom line is that a label indicating a product is non-toxic DOES NOT mean it is safe to eat.

It’s best to speak with the baker and ask specific questions about the ingredients, especially if you purchase a decorative baked good with luster dust. If you are a baker and use luster dust as decoration, check the label carefully and call the company if you have any questions to confirm it is safe for consumption. Discard any baked goods if you see “non-toxic” on your label after using them, and immediately make the customer aware.

If you are concerned that you or someone you know ate the “non-toxic” dust, or if someone has become ill after eating a decorated baked good, call the Missouri Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day, every day, for poisoning emergencies and questions.