Are Starburst Wrappers Edible?

Starburst candy is packed full of juicy flavor, and is a great way to get a burst of fruity goodness in a simple and chewy form!

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Each individually-wrapped candy piece is uniquely flavored, making them perfect for snacking, or for sharing out amongst friends.

However, sometimes individual Starburst candies can be quite hard to remove from their packaging and small traces of the wrappers will stick to the candy.

But is it actually okay to consume those small bits of the wrappers? Or can you even eat the entire wrapper itself?

Quick Answer: Are Starburst Wrappers Edible? Technically, yes, you can eat the wrappers on Starburst candies, as they are simply made up of wax paper, and have no ingredients that will cause you any harm. However, it is important to mention that while you can safely consume small amounts of the wrappers, they are not designed to be consumed at all. Thus, you should try to avoid consuming them in heavy quantities.

Want to find out even more about Starburst wrappers? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Read on down below to find out even more about one of the world’s favorite candies!

Can You Eat Starburst Wrappers?

Yes. It is safe to eat Starburst wrappers, especially in very small quantities.

This will naturally occur for many people eating Starburst candies because small traces of the packaging very often end up sticking to the candy, which is why so many people wonder whether it is safe to consume!

However, you should really do your best to avoid eating Starburst wrappers wherever possible, because though they contain no poisonous elements, they are not food, and they have no nutritional value.

Your stomach will not be able to easily digest the paper in the wrappers, and thus if you were to consume a large number of them, you may end up experiencing some stomach pains.

You should also try to avoid eating the wrappers because the wrappers are designed to keep the candies hygienic and to keep them from being contaminated.

Thus, if you were to eat plenty of the wrappers, you may be exposing yourself to bacteria and other things that the wrappers are designed to protect the candies from.

How Are Starburst Wrappers Made?

Starburst wrappers are actually made up of wax paper! This is paper that has been coated in wax to give it protective properties.

It also gives the paper that slightly plastic-like feel that makes them feel like they should not be edible.

The wax paper is designed to protect the candy and preserve its stickiness, as well as to protect it from external threats, such as bacteria, and even moisture.

This also means that small traces of the wrappers have a tendency to linger on each of the candy pieces, as you have likely experienced yourself.

Luckily, small traces like that are perfectly safe to eat.

The designers of Starburst candy have likely considered that small traces of the wrappers may linger and thus made sure that the wrappers are totally nontoxic.

Why Do People Eat Starburst Wrappers?

Luckily, people who eat entire Starburst wrappers are few and far between, however, it is quite common for people to end up eating the small traces of wrapper that stick to the candy, and many people actually claim to quite enjoy eating the small amounts of packaging that stick to the candy.

However, there likely are a few people out there that do enjoy eating the Starburst candies with the wrappers still fully attached, and it is likely that they enjoy eating them with the wrappers because of the way the wrappers feel.

The wrappers would have a very unique mouthfeel, and because they are nontoxic, it is likely that those same people will eat them without concern.

However, once again, it is important to stress that though Starburst wrappers are safe to consume, in small quantities, you should still avoid eating them, as paper and wax are not easily digested by the stomach, and thus you could encounter stomach problems when consuming too many.

What Would Happen If You Ate A Starburst Wrapper?

Luckily, if you were to eat a Starburst wrapper, very little would actually happen.

If Starburst wrappers were in any way poisonous or could harm consumers, then the candy could not possibly be sold in stores.

It is likely, if you were to consume a Starburst wrapper, that it would eventually pass through your stomach and leave your body through the stool.

This is because of the fact that paper and wax cannot easily be digested by the stomach, and thus it would need to find a way out.

If it does eventually get digested by the body, it will take a significant amount of time.

This is why you should avoid eating too many Starburst wrappers.

Eating too many Starburst wrappers is unlikely to cause any massive issues, but there is potential for the paper to collect within your stomach, causing blockages that could give you a slightly prolonged stomach ache.

So, if you ever find yourself accidentally, or potentially purposefully, consuming Starburst wrappers, don’t worry, because you will be totally fine.

At worst, you may experience some slight discomfort in your stomach, which will eventually pass, once the paper is slowly digested.

Can Your Stomach Digest Starburst Wrappers?

Generally, your stomach would have a very difficult time digesting Starburst wrappers.

This is because the paper wrappers are coated in wax, which is completely indigestible.

As well as this, wax is incredibly hydrophobic, so it is very difficult for your stomach acids to even begin digesting the wax

Paper itself can actually be digested by the stomach, but the wax around it makes it incredibly difficult.

If your body were to eventually digest the Starburst wrappers, it would take some significant time, and your stomach may encounter some discomfort in the process.

You will likely find that the wrappers pass out entirely unscathed within your stool.

This also explains why you really shouldn’t ever bother with eating Starburst wrappers, as they have no nutritional value, and your stomach cannot even extract anything of value from them, meaning you could cause yourself a stomach ache for no good reason!

Are Starburst Wrappers Plastic?

Luckily, there is no plastic content within an average Starburst wrapper, thus you do not need to worry about stomach aches caused by ingesting plastic.

This also means that Starburst wrappers are entirely biodegradable, making them much better for the environment, and less likely to pollute the world around us.

Why Should You Avoid Swallowing Starburst Wrappers?

Though it is safe to eat small traces of Starburst wrappers that may be persistently stuck to the candy, you should still make an effort to consume as little of it as possible.

This is because of the fact that the human body is not designed to digest wax, and it cannot do so.

This means that Starburst wrappers will most commonly pass through your digestive tract untouched.

However, if the paper were to become stuck in your digestive tract, it would take a significant amount of time for the paper to finally be digested, and during that period of time, it is very likely that you would experience stomach pains.

As well as this, there is also the simple fact that Starburst wrappers have no nutritional value whatsoever, so there is no value to be derived from eating them.

If you enjoy eating entire Starburst wrappers, you should do your best to curb the habit, to save your stomach some significant strife.

Can You Eat All Candy Wrappers?

Definitely not. Just because it is safe to eat a small amount of Starburst wrappers, it does not mean that it is safe to eat all candy wrappers.

This is because different candies will all come in very different packaging.

Some utilize plastic within their wrappers, so as such you definitely do not want to consume them.

What Should You Do With Candy Wrappers?

No matter what, you should always make an effort to throw candy wrappers into the trash.

You should always avoid littering, as it is a very effective way of helping the environment and preserving it for future generations.

This especially applies to candies that have plastic wrappers, as plastics take a significant amount of time to decompose, and thus they wreak havoc on the environment.

Even with products such as Starburst, which come with biodegradable wrappers, you should be making an effort to throw the wrappers into the trash, as it is a basic common courtesy to keep your local area clean and tidy!

Make sure to also carefully check individual wrappers, to see if certain ones can be mixed with recycling, so that you can further help the environment, by ensuring that it will not pollute the environment, and can be turned into something useful.

You should also avoid consuming candy wrappers instead of disposing of them, as, though some are perfectly safe to eat, many could cause stomach problems, especially wrappers made of plastic and other such materials.

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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!