All decorative elements we put onto our cakes, from flowers and glitter to gold leaf are non-toxic and not harmful to humans. Decorations like gold leaf and glitters in particular are safe to use on cakes for decorative purposes only, consumption will not harm a person but it cannot be classified as “edible” since it is not a food (see below). Edible applies to a recognised foodstuff only. Under EU regulations foodstuff means something which the body absorbs – something with nutritional value. This causes confusion – if a product is not a recognised food in its own right then it cannot be officially classed as edible. So, for example, an icing colouring paste based on sugar may be edible while a colouring may be non-toxic. Non-Toxic applies to all products which are still considered safe should you eat them, but which are not recognised as foods in their own right. This classification applies to a proportion of icing colourings and additives for no other reason than that our bodies do not absorb them – they simply pass through. They are controlled by UK and EU regulations and considered safe. Manufacturers may keep themselves right by stating for decorative use only (or some similar phrase) but they are only designed for use with food items.