Foods

Edible glitter and luster dust are used in confectionery, cake decoration, beverages, and specialty food products to add visual shimmer and metallic effects that conventional food colorants cannot produce. Demand for these products has grown alongside the expansion of home baking, artisan confectionery, and premium food and beverage presentation. At the same time, the regulatory environment for food-grade colorant ingredients is tightening — most notably the EU's ban on titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive from 2022 — creating genuine formulation and sourcing challenges for food manufacturers and decorators. Kolortek's edible glitter range addresses both the standard market and the growing demand for titanium dioxide free alternatives.

Kolortek's Solutions for Food Decoration

Particle Size Selection for Food Applications

Product Selection by Regulatory Requirement

Food Application Examples

Fondant Cake Decoration — Gold Luster Dust Product used: Edible Glitter (Luster Dust) — gold grade Effect achieved: A warm gold metallic shimmer applied by dry brush over fondant-covered cake surfaces, producing a visible metallic luster visible under standard event lighting without appearing granular or uneven. Formulation note: Dry brush application produces a more diffuse, satin effect; mixing the luster dust with a small amount of food-safe alcohol (such as food-grade ethanol or vodka) and painting with a fine brush produces a more concentrated, metallic appearance in defined areas. The alcohol evaporates leaving the luster dust deposited on the surface.

Sparkling Beverage — Silver Glitter Suspension Product used: Edible Glitter fine grade — silver Effect achieved: Fine silver edible glitter particles in suspension within a clear sparkling wine or cocktail, producing visible light reflections as the particles move in the liquid. Formulation note: Suspension time is a function of particle size and liquid viscosity. Fine grades suspend longer than coarse grades in low-viscosity beverages. Evaluate suspension duration in the specific beverage formulation during development — addition rate and particle size may require adjustment to achieve the desired visual effect duration. The product should be added just before serving in consumer applications rather than incorporated during production if a long shelf life is required.

Chocolate Truffle Finishing — TiO₂ Free Luster Dust (EU) Product used: Titanium Dioxide Free Edible Glitter — rose gold or pearl grade Effect achieved: A pearl or rose-toned metallic finish applied over the chocolate shell surface, providing a premium visual effect compliant with EU E171 restrictions. Formulation note: Apply by dry brush to set chocolate shell — the chocolate surface should be fully set before application to avoid the dust adhering unevenly. For enrobed products, application after the final chocolate pass and before full set provides slightly better adhesion of the luster dust.

Macaron Surface Decoration — Fine Shimmer Dusting Product used: Edible Glitter fine grade — assorted colors Effect achieved: A fine, even shimmer over the macaron shell surface applied by light dusting through a fine sieve, producing a subtle all-over shimmer rather than a visible glitter point effect. Formulation note: Application by sieve dusting at fine particle size produces the most even coverage on curved macaron surfaces. Coarser grades produce a more pronounced sparkle effect but are more prone to uneven distribution when sieved. Test application method and grade combination on the specific macaron shell before scaling to production.

Why Kolortek

Manufacturing Experience Kolortek has manufactured effect pigments and decorative powders for over 20 years. For food-grade products specifically, this translates into established production controls focused on ingredient purity, batch consistency, and the documentation processes required for food ingredient supply — CAS numbers, composition declarations, and product specifications are standard outputs of the production process, not ad hoc requests.

Product Range — Standard and TiO₂ Free Kolortek's edible glitter range covers both standard luster dust grades and titanium dioxide free alternatives, allowing buyers to source from a single supplier across different market requirements. The TiO₂ free range was developed specifically in response to the EU E171 regulatory change — it is not a repackaged industrial product, but a purpose-developed food-grade formulation. Multiple colors are available in both series.

Technical and Compliance Support Kolortek's technical team can provide ingredient composition data, CAS numbers, and TDS for all edible glitter grades to support buyers' own regulatory review and ingredient declaration processes. Kolortek does not provide regulatory approval determinations — final food safety and compliance assessment is the responsibility of the food manufacturer or brand. However, the technical documentation required to support that assessment is available upon request for all grades.

Contact Kolortek

Edible glitter and luster dust selection depends on application method, target market regulatory requirements, and the specific visual effect required. Whether you need EU-compliant TiO₂ free grades, beverage-suspension fine grades, or standard luster dust for general cake decoration, the right starting point is a sample evaluation under your specific application conditions.

Contact Kolortek to request grade-specific samples, ingredient composition documentation, or technical guidance on grade selection for your application.