[Updated] Are Paintballs Edible? | 2022 | What You Don’t Know

Paintball is an old sport dating back to the early 1900’s but what is most interesting about it is that, are paintballs edible? This is a question that has plagued paintball players since the very beginning of the game. Paintball guns used to be painted red and loaded with paint but today’s modern paintball markers come in different colors and with various types of powders/stipples. So can paintballs be eaten? Let’s find out!

[Updated] Are Paintballs Edible? | 2022 | What You Don’t Know

The answer is yes, paintballs are edible but not in a traditional sense. Paintballs do contain ingredients that are considered to be fast but, these are different fats that are generally regarded as vegetable fat and not edible. The main ingredient in paintball markers today is polyethylene glycol (PEG) and whilst some people may think of the substance as typical vegetable fat they are wrong as it is a clear fat.

PEG is the main ingredient in paintball markers today and it is commonly mixed with water. In fact, it is used so much in the manufacture of paintball markers that its presence on the label is no longer a cause for alarm.

It’s not just the PEG that makes a paintball edible but the way it’s used. The way a paintball marker shoots a pellet differs from the way a pellet is fired in an airsoft gun. Airsoft pellets have a series of holes or primer channels, whereas paintball guns use a single hole at the pellet’s base and expand outward. As the paintball gun shoots the airsoft BB’s move into the primer channel. This provides a controlled expansion of the material and means there is no more air leaking out or accumulating inside the gun. As a result, there is no danger of food or tissue damage.

Another question often asked is whether or not paintballs are safe to play with when they’re still sealed inside the paintball marker. Simply put, yes, they are. Paintball markers come in different forms and are designed differently for their various uses. Paintball markers that shooting in the open fire version shoot balls made out of a rubber material similar to the material found in marbles. These paintballs are not edible and will harm anyone playing paintball.

 

What are Paintballs made From? – Are Paintballs Edible

A different type of paintball marker is one that shoots out paintballs made from a material called polyethylene glycol or PEG. This is a plastic polymer that is mixed with air. The material expands when it is shot and it creates small balls that are harder than regular paintballs but are not as dangerous. Because of this feature, PEG paintball markers are commonly used in military exercises and other outdoor activities. Because of its composition, PEG is not toxic and it is safe to use even if the paintballs do splatter.

Another question often asked is whether or not paintballs edible if they’re left to dry after being shot. To answer the question above, yes, they can be eaten. However, there are certain conditions that require proper handling when playing paintball and when these conditions aren’t followed, the paint will most likely dry up and become a hazard.

In terms of safety while playing paintball, a common concern for experienced players is breathing in paint particles, especially when the game is in progress. But although most airsoft guns have special masks that are designed to keep the player’s head from getting covered in paint, some airsoft games do allow players to spray the paintballs into the air. Although players using airsoft guns can breathe in the paint, it’s not recommended because the effect is toxic. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that paintball players wearing masks and breathing masks get out of the game if they begin to notice symptoms of paintball sickness.

If you’ve been asking, “are paintballs edible?” consider spraying some airsoft pellets into your mouth before you go out and play a few games. You’ll be glad you did!