The practice of consuming gold has been a symbol of luxury for millennia, appearing today as a shimmering garnish on everything from high-end desserts to specialty cocktails. Ancient Egyptians and alchemists used gold for its symbolic and perceived purifying qualities. Modern consumers often wonder about the physiological reality behind the dazzling display and whether this decorative metal is safe to consume.
Defining Edible Gold and Purity Standards
The gold used for consumption is not the same as the metal found in jewelry, which often contains other metals that can be toxic if ingested. Edible gold must be pure metallic gold, typically maintained at a high-karat standard of 23 or 24 karats. This high purity, meaning the gold is nearly 100% the element Au, makes it suitable for food applications.
Regulatory bodies oversee the use of metallic gold as a coloring agent. In Europe, pure gold is classified as a food additive under the code E-175, and similar regulations exist in the United States for decorative purposes. The gold is processed into extremely thin sheets, known as gold leaf, or into fine dust, which are virtually tasteless and used exclusively for visual appeal.
The Body’s Interaction with Ingested Metallic Gold
Edible gold is generally considered safe because of its unique chemical property of being inert. When high-purity metallic gold is ingested, it remains chemically non-reactive within the digestive tract. The strong hydrochloric acid in the stomach and digestive enzymes are unable to break down the elemental gold.
Since the metallic gold cannot be chemically altered or dissolved, it is not absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine. The metal passes through the entire gastrointestinal system completely unchanged and provides no nutritional benefit, offering zero calories, vitamins, or minerals. It is simply excreted as waste, having served only a decorative purpose.
Differentiating Metallic Gold from Therapeutic Gold Compounds
A common point of confusion arises from the historical and modern use of gold in medicine, known as chrysotherapy. It is important to distinguish the inert metallic gold used in food from biologically active gold compounds, often referred to as gold salts, such as auranofin.
These medicinal compounds are not elemental gold, but rather gold atoms chemically bonded to other molecules. This structure allows them to be absorbed by the body, where they can have a biological effect, historically treating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Their ionic nature permits them to interact with proteins and enzymes, giving them therapeutic properties but also potential for toxicity and side effects.