Gold

Gold (E175) is a noble metal used in food-grade leaf, powder, or flake form as a decorative surface colorant on confectionery, chocolates, and celebration cakes. It imparts a classic warm metallic gold finish prized in premium confectionery and festive foods. Food-grade gold must meet strict purity specifications (minimum 22 karat for food use in the EU), and its use is restricted to surface decoration only.

No formal JECFA ADI has been established for gold as a food colourant. Metallic gold is chemically inert, non-toxic, and essentially unabsorbed from the gastrointestinal tract — it passes through the body unchanged. This biological inertness has made gold an accepted material in dentistry, surgery, and food decoration for centuries. There are no known adverse effects from edible gold at any dietary exposure level.

Gold is permitted in the EU as a food colourant for surface decoration of confectionery. It is not regulated as a food additive in the United States but is generally regarded as safe in the minimal amounts used decoratively. Gold is not a nutritional hazard by any established measure, and its presence in food carries no health implications for the general population. Its use is primarily in luxury and artisan confectionery, specialty chocolates, and festive baked goods.