Episode Details

Two jars, same sparkle, same unicorn — one is food, one won't say. Five label checks settle it in 30 seconds. You can tell if glitter is really edible from the label alone. Check five things: an ingredient list that actually exists; names you can look up — mica-based pearlescent pigments, iron oxide, FD&C colors; the word edible stated plainly with the food named; no dodge words like non-toxic or for-decoration-only; and food-label basics such as a serving amount and a date. No ingredient list? No sale — that one check filters most of the category's trouble. In this episode: the category's labeling gap, sized honestly — in an analysis of about 2,400 reviews, more than 66% of ingredient complaints were about missing information, not scary ingredients; the FDA's own tell for genuinely edible glitter, and where contamination stories actually trace back to; a Sparkle Lab decode of FD&C color names, so you can verify a label from your phone in the aisle; the two dodge words that quietly mean "this is not food"; and Dana's one-glance shortcut for shopping with a kid on the cart. Decorating something nobody will eat? Skip the checklist and the food price — craft glitter is cheaper and fine for display pieces, props, and school-fair showstoppers that live in a frame. The 12-color gift set discussed is on Amazon (check the listing for current pricing). Produced with AI-crafted hosts. Full transcript on the episode page. New questions answered every week at The Monégasque Table.