Gold
The short version
Pure gold leaf or flakes — a centuries-old decorative finish on luxury foods.
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Where it comes from
Pure metallic gold, beaten between sheets of skin or parchment into leaf (~0.1 μm thick) or ground to fine flakes. The food-grade material is 22–24 carat (≥91.7% gold). Decorative use in food dates to ancient Egypt and Renaissance Europe.
How it's used
Decorative finish on luxury chocolates, wagashi (Japanese confections), haute-cuisine garnishes (gold-leaf desserts and sushi), Indian mithai, and floating flakes in Goldwasser-style liqueurs. Functions purely as decoration; the amount used is microscopic.
Safety profile
ADI not specified. Gold is chemically inert and not absorbed in the gut — passes through unchanged. Food-grade purity is the only safety concern (must be free of nickel, copper, or other alloyed metals).
Physical & chemical properties
Bright yellow metallic leaf or flakes. Completely inert to all food matrices. Does not tarnish, oxidize, or react with acids encountered in food.
Regulation worldwide
Permitted in the EU as a colorant for external coating of confectionery, decoration of cake, and liqueurs. Banned for direct food use in the US (the GRAS / additive status of metallic gold has never been confirmed by the FDA).
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.