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To: Ahda who wrote (71182)	6/6/2001 1:37:35 PM
From: long-gone	Respond to of 116768

c h r i s t m a s c r a c k e r 2 q. During Christmas tea, an argument began. How are the tiny edible silver balls that are used to decorate cakes made and what produces the shiny, silver colour? Some of us thought the coating was aluminium, but wouldn't that be a health hazard? TAMMY SAND Nottingham _______________________________________________________ a. All sugar sweets of this type are made in the same way. Seed sugar crystals are rolled in a sugar mixture inside a large rotating drum for several days or weeks, depending on how thick the layer needs to be. This process deposits a thin, uniform layer around the seed crystal which gradually builds up, much like a pearl, to produce a solid spherical sugar core. The silver is added to the mixture and coats the ball. As you correctly guessed, the coating is aluminium. Consumption of metal has been a delicacy in India for many years; a thin layer of gold leaf is laid on top of several traditional puddings. As for the dangers of consuming aluminium, there is no proven risk in eating the small quantities you find in cake decorations. SAM ELLENBY London a. The balls found on decorated cakes are indeed coated with aluminium (which has the European additive number E173) to make them silver in eating colour, and glazing agent E903 (carnauba wax) is used to make them shiny. E174 (silver) can be used instead of aluminium. JACKIE MATHER-SHONE Tyne and Wear a. Perhaps more spectacular is the little-used practice of using E175 to gild roast chicken. E175 is, of course, gold. SIMON SCARLE Brighton, East Sussex newscientist.com