Slimes have become increasingly popular toys and novelties, especially among children. With their bright colors, squishy textures, and ability to ooze between fingers, it’s no wonder kids love to play with slime. However, with slimes being handled frequently, some parents have wondered if slime poses any health risks if ingested. So, are slimes actually edible?
What is slime made of?
Most slimes are made from a base mixture of water, glue, and borax. The glue is usually an inexpensive white school glue or clear Elmer’s glue. Borax acts as a cross-linking agent that causes the polymers in the glue to bond together and form a stretchy, ooze-able texture.
To make slime more aesthetically pleasing, additional ingredients are often added like food coloring, glitter, plastic beads, foam balls, or fragrance oils. These inclusions are purely decorative and not necessary to create the basic slime structure.
Are the ingredients in slime safe to eat?
Let’s break down the safety of consuming each common slime ingredient:
- Glue: While glue is non-toxic, it is not meant to be digested. Eating large quantities of glue could potentially cause an upset stomach or constipation.
- Borax: Borax can be toxic if swallowed. It is commonly used as an insecticide, fungicide, or cleaning product. Consuming borax can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in the short term. Long-term ingestion is linked to organ damage.
- Food coloring: Food colorings used in slime are non-toxic and edible.
- Glitter: Craft glitter contains small pieces of microplastics that should not be ingested.
- Plastic beads: Similar to glitter, plastic beads pose a choking hazard and contain non-food grade plastics.
- Fragrance oils: Some fragrance oils are food-grade and safe to ingest while others contain synthetic chemicals that should not be eaten.
So while some select slime ingredients like food coloring are edible, many other common ingredients including borax, glitter, and plastic beads are considered non-food items and unsafe for consumption.
What risks does eating slime pose?
Here are some potential health risks of ingesting slime:
- Choking hazard from small objects like glitter or plastic beads becoming lodged in the throat
- Blocked intestines or constipation from large amounts of glue solidifying
- Toxic effects including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea from borax exposure
- Organ damage with long-term borax ingestion
- Allergic reaction in sensitive individuals from fragrance oils or food coloring
If slime is accidentally swallowed in tiny amounts, it will likely pass through the digestive system without issue. However, consuming larger quantities or frequently eating slime could increase risk of the above adverse effects.
Are slimes marketed as “edible”?
Some slime products are advertised as “edible slime.” This can give the impression that any slime is safe to eat. However, edible slimes have a different ingredient composition than regular slimes.
Edible slimes are made without borax, glitter, plastic beads, or other non-food materials. Instead, they use food-grade ingredients like cornstarch, guar gum, marshmallow fluff, jelly, or maple syrup. These provide a similar sticky, stretchy texture as regular slime but are non-toxic if ingested.
So while edible slime exists, this is different than standard craft slimes which contain hazardous ingredients. It’s important not to confuse edible slime with regular slime when considering risks.
Are slimes tempting for kids to eat?
For young children, slime can look appetizing with its bright colors and texture similar to jelly or frosty slushies. The scents of fruit, candy, or dessert-flavored slimes may also tempt kids to taste the slime.
Children under age 5 are at particular risk for ingesting slime, as they are still developing their senses of taste and smell and have natural curiosity to explore objects orally. However, slime consumption has been reported in kids up to 10-12 years old as well.
To discourage tasting slime, it’s best to supervise young children during play and remind them that slime is a toy, not food. Storing slime away when not in use rather than leaving it out on surfaces can also reduce temptation.
Should kids eat their own slime “creations”?
Kids love to mix up their own unique slime concoctions by adding everything from shaving cream to liquid starch. But even if they helped create it, slime should not be eaten due to potential hazards.
Kids may assume that because they chose the ingredients, it must be safe. However, they may unknowingly select toxic products like hand soap, nail polish, or cleaning solutions that can cause serious harm if consumed.
Supervision is key when kids make their own slime. Caregivers should oversee the recipe and preparation process to ensure only child-safe ingredients are used. The slime should still be treated as non-edible once created.
Have there been reports of sickness from eating slime?
Between 2016-2018, there were several cases of children becoming ill after ingesting slime products. Borax poisoning was determined as the cause.
Reported symptoms included severe stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some cases, the digestive issues persisted for weeks after slime consumption.
The highest risk was for young children ages 2-5 who consumed large amounts of slime repeatedly. However, older kids also experienced adverse effects from eating slime due to borax toxicity.
These incidents demonstrate that slime should never be considered a food item, regardless of how appetizing it may look or smell to kids.
What are safe alternatives to slime that kids can eat?
If kids want to experience a slimy, stretchy, ooey-gooey texture they can actually taste, here are some child-safe, edible alternatives:
- Jelly cubes or gummy candies
- Tapioca pudding
- Marshmallow creme
- Pudding slime made with cornstarch, milk, and food coloring
- Homemade flubber using flour, water, and cornstarch
- Water beads that expand in liquid to a slime-like texture
Supervise young kids during play with any chunky textured food due to choking risks. But these edible slimy snacks are a safer option compared to commercial or homemade slime.
Can slime be made non-toxic if a child insists on eating it?
While it’s best to keep slime away from mouth entirely, if a child persistently tries to eat their slime, there are ways to make it less hazardous:
- Leave out borax completely
- Use a very diluted white school glue instead of stronger clear glues
- Avoid smooth plastic or microplastic ingredients
- Use only food-grade ingredients like cornstarch, flour, guar gum
- Add edible glitter made from seaweed, fruit powder, or food coloring
- Scent only with food extracts like vanilla, lemon, or mint
This renders a less cohesive slime with weaker stretch and adhesion. But it eliminates serious toxicity risks if accidentally ingested in small amounts.
Conclusion
Slime is not meant to be eaten. While it may resemble food with its bright colors and slimy texture, commercial and homemade slimes contain ingredients like borax and plastic that can be harmful if consumed. Supervise kids during slime play and remind them it is a toy, not a snack.
For older or developmentally disabled children with persistent oral fixations, discuss strategies with your pediatrician to redirect this impulse. Safer, edible oral stim toys can provide sensory input without toxicity risks.
With proper parental oversight and understanding that slime is non-food, kids can safely enjoy these trendy toys. Removing temptation by storing slime away when not in use helps prevent unfortunate accidental ingestion incidents.
