The Strange World of Metals in Food
Euphoria Snax
Every couple of issues, the GDM editor throws a research curved ball at me. This time, the challenge involves metals… all kinds of metals.
Now, as you all know, I’m a girl who loves a bit of metal… preferably the kind attached to a giant sparkly diamond or some iconic piece of gold or titanium or all the metals in one gorgeous piece of something.
But when you enter food into the subject things get a little more convoluted, especially the dichotomy of metals in food that could KILL YA, or metals ON food that represents a touch of decadence while eating the most every-day of foods.
Beginning the search led quickly into the scary side of metal in foods. Not something we’ll dwell on but something I found fascinating when you discover the clear distinction between edible and non-edible elements to avoid food poisoning and toxicity.
In short, edible metals must be biologically inert, while non-edible metals must be food-grade, clean and physically removed before eating.
1. Edible Metals
2. Non-Edible Metallic Elements (For Decorative Purposes Only)
3. Utensils and Platters
Now, as you all know, I’m a girl who loves a bit of metal… preferably the kind attached to a giant sparkly diamond or some iconic piece of gold or titanium or all the metals in one gorgeous piece of something.
But when you enter food into the subject things get a little more convoluted, especially the dichotomy of metals in food that could KILL YA, or metals ON food that represents a touch of decadence while eating the most every-day of foods.
Beginning the search led quickly into the scary side of metal in foods. Not something we’ll dwell on but something I found fascinating when you discover the clear distinction between edible and non-edible elements to avoid food poisoning and toxicity.
In short, edible metals must be biologically inert, while non-edible metals must be food-grade, clean and physically removed before eating.
1. Edible Metals
- Gold and Silver: Pure, genuine gold (at least 22 to 24 carats) and silver (E174) are safe to eat. They are biologically inert, tasteless, and are commonly applied as ultra-fine leaf sheets, flakes, or dust to decorate cakes, chocolates, and high-end savory dishes.
- Metallic Sprinkles & Edible Bling: Products labelled as "edible" contain safe pigments (like mica-based pearlescent pigments) to create a metallic sheen without toxic heavy metals.
2. Non-Edible Metallic Elements (For Decorative Purposes Only)
- Lustre Dusts and Glitters: Not all decorating dusts are safe. Products labelled as "nontoxic" or "for decorative purposes only" can contain high levels of copper, lead, or other toxic heavy metals. These should only be used on removable accents (like gum paste flowers).
- Cake Toppers and Figurines: Metal toppers (e.g., cake numbers, metal butterflies) must be lead- and nickel-free. They should always be removed before slicing or serving the food.
3. Utensils and Platters
- Skewers and Picks: Cocktail and food picks are often made of stainless steel. Ensure they are entirely food-safe and wiped down appropriately before serving.
- Metal Platters/Trays: If you are serving food directly on a metal platter or tray, the metal must be food-safe (such as stainless steel). Uncoated or non-food-safe metals can chemically react with acidic or salty foods and leach contaminants.
The world's oldest liquid wine was found in a lead container in a Roman tomb in Spain.
The history of metals in food is a dual story of essential nutrients required for survival (like iron and zinc) and toxic heavy metals (like lead and mercury) that have contaminated the human diet since antiquity.
A timeline of human exposure and interaction with metals in food spans several key eras:
1. Antiquity & The Roman Era: Deliberate Contamination
2. The Industrial Revolution: Accidental Additives
3. The 20th Century: Agrochemicals and Industrial Spillovers
A timeline of human exposure and interaction with metals in food spans several key eras:
1. Antiquity & The Roman Era: Deliberate Contamination
- Lead in Wine: The Romans intentionally boiled crushed grapes in lead pots or lead-lined copper kettles. They discovered that lead imparted a sweet flavour and acted as a preservative, a practice that led to widespread lead poisoning among the elite!
- Copper Rust: Winemakers historically preferred lead over copper because copper vessels threw off a bitter-tasting "rust".
2. The Industrial Revolution: Accidental Additives
- The Canning Crisis: In the early 1800s, the invention of canned foods revolutionized food storage. However, early tin cans were sealed using a tin-lead alloy solder. This allowed lead to leach into the food, causing outbreaks of lead poisoning among soldiers and Arctic explorers.
- Automated Soldering: By the 1870s, automated soldering machines and the gradual shift from iron to steel displaced lead as a primary canning material.
3. The 20th Century: Agrochemicals and Industrial Spillovers
- Pesticide Residues: Mid-20th-century agriculture heavily utilized pesticides and fertilizers that contained toxic heavy metals such as arsenic and lead.
- Mercury Poisoning: Industrial pollution discharged into waterways caused methylmercury to bioaccumulate in fish, leading to devastating public health crises, such as Minamata disease in Japan.
- Cadmium Contamination: In the 1950s, the mass dumping of cadmium into Japanese rivers contaminated local rice paddies, resulting in "Itai-itai" ("ouch-ouch") disease, a condition that caused brittle bones and severe joint pain.
4. Modern Day: Natural Uptake & Strict Regulations
Today, toxic metals (like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) are a reality of the global food system. They enter the food supply not just from pollution, but because they occur naturally in the earth's crust and are absorbed by crops from the soil and water.
All that sounds a little scary and while I’m sure Grandmother Snax would approve of me erring on the side of caution, there’s a lot more fun to be had with the sparkly side of metals – especially when they involve CAKE!
Amazing cakes designed with metals usually fall into two categories: edible metallic lustre/leaf and sculptural heavy metal music themes. From gleaming silver and mixed-metal chrome cakes to industrial-looking sheet metal designs, these cake styles are incredibly striking.
Edible Metallic Finishes & Chrome
Today, toxic metals (like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) are a reality of the global food system. They enter the food supply not just from pollution, but because they occur naturally in the earth's crust and are absorbed by crops from the soil and water.
- Soil Absorption: Rice is particularly prone to absorbing inorganic arsenic from the soil, leading to modern dietary guidelines designed to limit heavy metal exposure in vulnerable populations like infants.
- Global Standards: Organizations like the Codex Alimentarius Commission set strict Maximum Limits (MLs) for metallic contaminants to ensure food safety.
All that sounds a little scary and while I’m sure Grandmother Snax would approve of me erring on the side of caution, there’s a lot more fun to be had with the sparkly side of metals – especially when they involve CAKE!
Amazing cakes designed with metals usually fall into two categories: edible metallic lustre/leaf and sculptural heavy metal music themes. From gleaming silver and mixed-metal chrome cakes to industrial-looking sheet metal designs, these cake styles are incredibly striking.
Edible Metallic Finishes & Chrome
- Silver Chrome & Vintage Pearls: The vintage chrome style features a flawless, reflective silver or "chrome" finish using edible lustre dust and an evaporative medium (like vodka or lemon extract). These cakes are often paired with pearl swoops or metallic piping.
- Mixed Metals: Designs blending rose gold, yellow gold, and white gold tones—often inspired by wedding ring bands—create a multi-dimensional, glamorous sheen.
- The Yellow-Base Secret: The secret to getting a true, rich metallic gold is often starting with a yellow or orange fondant or buttercream base, then layering on gold dust or glitter.
Industrial & Sculptural Metals
Heavy Metal Band Themes (My personal favourite!)
Grandmother Snax also had a couple of other valuable insights to contribute – naturally in her opinion.
1 – Metal pans are essential for cooking because they are superior heat conductors and outperform alternatives like glass or ceramic.
2 – The best pans depend on your cooking style; for everyday ease, ceramic nonstick is great but requires replacing over time. For searing and longevity, try high-quality stainless steel or cast iron.
Hopefully this will inspire to plate like a professional using edible metals.
- Welded Sheet Metal: Cake decorators use modelling chocolate and edible silver paint to craft "welded" metallic panels, complete with piped-on rivets, rust shading, and metallic sheen.
- Metallic Edible Leaf: Large panels of real, edible gold or silver leaf applied to dark bases (like navy or black) create a dramatic, broken-metal mosaic effect often seen in modern wedding cakes.
Heavy Metal Band Themes (My personal favourite!)
- Rock & Metal Music Cakes: For fans of hard rock, bakers construct tiered cakes with sculpted edible electric guitars, metallic silver chains, drum kits, and aggressive spikes.
- Black Metal Aesthetics: Dark cakes featuring metallic silver Baphomet sigils or band logos (like Metallica or Motörhead), often drenched in rich, dark flavours like cherry schnapps or black forest filling.
Grandmother Snax also had a couple of other valuable insights to contribute – naturally in her opinion.
1 – Metal pans are essential for cooking because they are superior heat conductors and outperform alternatives like glass or ceramic.
2 – The best pans depend on your cooking style; for everyday ease, ceramic nonstick is great but requires replacing over time. For searing and longevity, try high-quality stainless steel or cast iron.
Hopefully this will inspire to plate like a professional using edible metals.
