What is the deal with "Dragees"

Can anyone tell me what the "danger" (?) is with the Gold & Silver "dragees" used for (mostly) holiday cake, cookie etc decoration.

I know that my mom and grandma went to great lengths to keep them out of our house-"those aren't for eating"-like they were made from plutonium!! So they were something that we never used, never kept in the house, and naturally, now that I'm an adult-well scratch that, now that I'm older, I don't use them either.

While perusing a "Kitchen Krafts" holiday catalog this morning, I noticed that they sell them, but with an additional "Can't be shipped to California" in big red letters. And then it goes on to say, "Edible only as a decoration"......as opposed to what, a snack?

I'm confused (and desperate for conversation) whats the deal?

I have no clue why there is such a big deal about them. I've never heard that. I found this while searching.....Supposedly it's the "silver" in them. We always decorated with them when I was a kid....

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/302854

Crap-Now I have to pick them out of my Cap' crunch-I don't feel so good!

Thanks Barb!

LOL........I put them in my Wheaties!

If you take the coating off, it's just plain sugar. Used to be, but not any longer...the coating included mercury, hence the 'inedible' caution.

...hmmmm, gonna be tough to "score the good stuff" then!!

smoke king said:

Can anyone tell me what the "danger" (?) is with the Gold & Silver "dragees" used for (mostly) holiday cake, cookie etc decoration.

Click to expand...

Chipped teeth.