Episode Details

Does edible glitter expire? The date printed on the package is the answer, and this episode declines to give you a different number on purpose. The pigment itself is a mineral: chemically stable, acid- and alkali-resistant, almost insoluble in water and odorless. There is no oil in it to go rancid, no sugar to attract anything and no water for anything to grow in, so it does not spoil the way food spoils. Two things actually end a jar. The first is moisture — clumping in a shimmer powder is almost entirely a moisture-control problem, and a caked jar applies unevenly no matter what its date says. The second is the manufacturer's committed window, which is what the printed date represents, the same way dates work on salt and spices. In this episode: - Why no general shelf-life figure is stated here, said out loud rather than dodged - The four sources of moisture, three of which are you - Dana's winning round: the date measures a promise, not the powder — so who has to obey it? - The money: $1.00 a gram at 15 grams, about 150 servings a jar, and what half a jar in the trash costs - Five storage rules, and why the fridge is the worst thing you could do Who should skip it: twice-a-year bakers with a jar in a normal cupboard. Check the date, keep it dry, move on. The MONÉGASQUE Gold 15 g luster dust is on Amazon at $14.99 standard — date printed on the package, ingredient list on the jar; check the listing for current pricing. Full transcript on the episode page. New questions answered every week at The Monégasque Table.