Getting Green Glitter Beer That’s Actually FDA Compliant

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, be ready to see lots of green and gold, as unicorn and leprechaun mugs filled with colorful spirits will soon be everywhere. With so many ways to make your beer special for the holidays, getting colorful and glittering beer that’s safe and FDA (Food & Drug Administration) compliant is a must know for the season. 

We have seen sparkling green beer over the years that has a huge visual wow factor, but might not necessarily be safe to consume per FDA regulations.

Not all glitters are created equal in the beverage industry. True food-grade glitters are actually not glitters at all, but naturally occurring mica particles that have been plated with titanium or iron salts and then typically calcinated to produce titanium dioxide or iron oxides on the mica. It is this permanent plating process that gives the mica a pearl effect. This pearl effect causes the refraction and sparkle that gives these mica particles the appearance of glitter.

That said, not just any mica-based pearlescents are food grade. Some are used for industrial products such as paints and nail polish. The mica based pearlescents you are wanting for consumption will be food-grade and will need to come from a trusted manufacturer who adheres to manufacturing your products in an FDA inspected facility to ensure you are getting your supply that is inspected and follows policies to bring you only the purest food-grade edible glitters that follow good manufacturing practices.

In 2015, the FDA ruled in approval for the safe use of mica-based pearlescent pigments prepared from titanium dioxide and mica as color additives in certain distilled spirits. Mica-based pearlescent pigments are currently approved as color additives in many foods and beverages, in amounts up to 0.07 percent, by weight, in the following:

(A) Distilled spirits containing not less than 18 percent and not more than 25 percent alcohol by volume.

(B) Cordials, liqueurs, flavored alcoholic malt beverages, wine coolers, and cocktails.

(C) Non-alcoholic cocktail mixes and mixers, such as margarita mix, Bloody Mary mix, and daiquiri mix, but excluding eggnog, tonic water, and beverages that are typically consumed without added alcohol (e.g., fruit juices, fruit juice drinks, and soft drinks).

To learn more, refer to 21CFR73.350 for the full FDA regulation.

Effective November 5, 2015, the new rule permits the use of these pigments at a level of up to 0.07 percent by weight in distilled spirits containing not less than 18 percent and not more than 25 percent alcohol by volume, while finding that “certification of mica-based pearlescent pigments prepared from titanium dioxide is not necessary for the protection on the public health.” To learn more, refer to 21CFR73.350 for the full FDA regulation. 

Signature Drink Lab™ that operates an FDA Inspected Food Manufacturing Facility in St. Louis, Missouri, is a great source for finding true FDA compliant, kosher certified mica based pearlescents. Specializing in drinkable wow factor, their new Color Series of their Shimmer Glitter Dust™ adds both color and food-grade glitter to any beverage. Signature Drink Lab is owned by Pege Yates. Pege Yates, a sugar artist that has been featured on Food Network, contracted to do thousands of custom lollipops for Madison Square Garden and owns Never Forgotten Designs out of St. Louis.

Pege said she “wanted to create a product that confectionery artists, home brewers and brew masters could trust after being frustrated with the lack of finding a trusted source for food-grade glitter.” Several times she used products in her sugar art pieces, only to hear about recalls for containing lead and even glass. 

When researching how to make Signature Drink Lab™ different, she knew she needed to invite in external agencies to check behind her to verify that she was not only creating her products in a clean facility that follows food manufacturing standards, but also sourcing her mica  and colorants from trusted sources. Taking an additional step, she also got her products kosher certified. 

“It has been great to see large breweries using our products in the last year to give their beer the sparkle that is all the craze right now,” Pege said. She continued on stating that Signature Drink Lab™ is now available at several online super stores, as well as in several retail stores nationwide.

So, if you are looking to add color to your beer with all the sparkle, their Green Color Series Shimmer Glitter Dust™ will bring you those results in a way that is both FDA compliant, kosher certified and truly food grade.

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