Wax is defined as an oily or greasy solid that melts on heating. It is a significant ingredient in items such as crayons, candles, and canning wax. In addition, due to advancements in technology, wax has been used in crafting various items, such as the decorations used to add value to cakes. However, the most significant concern over such usage is whether these wax melts are edible. Or, as a caring parent, you could be wondering what might happen if your child swallows a portion of wax while celebrating a birthday party. I have gathered some tangible information concerning this issue, and here is everything you need to know about the edibility of these wax melts.
Dangers associated with eating melted wax
Generally, wax is not poisonous. Some forms are made from soya beans and other natural products suit for human consumption. Therefore, if your child swallows a small portion of crayon, the wax will pass through the alimentary canal without causing any problem. However, if the child consumes a large amount of wax or crayon, they can develop some intestinal obstructions. Some people use wax to smuggle illegal drugs. Most of them swallow packets of these illicit substances sealed in layers of wax. Suppose the packing raptures, the drug is released into their systems. However, the wax used for these purposes is not absorbed in the blood systems. These may cause severe poisoning as some wax melt ingredients such as paraffin are harmful.
Edible Products sealed with Cakes
Since wax is non-poisonous, people use it to seal some edible products such as cakes. If you are not careful, you may buy such cakes and ingest the seals as you enjoy the delicacy in them. However, this should not worry you. There is no nutritional value associated with most of these melted wax. However, if you happen to have swallowed a considerable portion of wax, you may develop some intestinal discomfort due to obstruction. In addition, if you are allergic to scent, you might experience some adverse reactions as most of these melted wax have strong odors. Therefore, take care of some of these products as they may interfere with your everyday activities, mainly if they cause stomach upsets.
Good News
All of us should applaud advancement in technology as there are some latest developments where a New York-based company has invented some edible birthday candles made up of wax. The candles are entirely edible, including their wicks and the colorings used. The candles are made from edible materials that will not harm your health whatsoever.
In a nutshell, melted wax is edible in the sense that even after swallowing a small piece, it will not harm your health. However, you need to understand that melted wax is not food. You cannot live on it or feed your children as a food alternative. In addition, avoid taking a lot of candle wax or allowing your children to take large portions of wax as they celebrate the delicacies in cakes. The latter might cause intestinal obstructions and affect your health to some extent.
