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    Home > Food News > Nutrition News > Can you eat gold foil?

    Can you eat gold foil?

    • Last Update: 2022-03-02
    • Source: Internet
    • Author: User
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    Recently, a number of operators have been administratively punished for adding gold leaf to food
    .
    Relevant market supervision departments clearly pointed out that gold foil is neither a raw material for food production, nor can it be used as a food additive, and it is forbidden to add gold foil to food
    .


     
    Many people expressed surprise, can gold foil be used in food? Others worry that there is a rumor in ancient times of "suicide by swallowing gold".
    Will eating gold damage people's health? What should I do if I have eaten gold leaf food?
     
    1.
    Can gold foil be added to food?
     
    International and other countries and regions manage it as a reference for its safety
    .
    For example, the FAO/WHO (FAO/WHO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated gold foil as a colorant in 1977, and considered that metal gold was used in small amounts in food, and was classified as a food additive.
    It is used as a pigment, but the amount and application are very small, and there is no risk of harm, and there is no need to formulate ADI, so it can be used in international standards
    .
     
    In the European Union, the latest standard in 2013 shows that metallic gold can be used for the coating of some candies and chocolates, and can also be used for some liqueurs.
    A clear limit is stipulated, and it is believed that it can be used in moderation according to needs
    .
     
      In Australia and New Zealand, metallic gold can be used as decorations for candies, which are generally not eaten directly, so there is no limit
    .
     
      It can be used in food in Japan, and some local specialties in the country are gold leaf and gold leaf food, such as gold leaf coffee, ice cream, gold leaf candy and a kind of cold cake
    .
    In addition, gold foil can also be used as a food additive in Ireland, Taiwan and other countries and regions
    .
     

     
      On the whole, gold is a normal food additive, which has been used internationally, so there is no need to be too surprised
    .
    However, China has not approved the use of gold foil for food, so it is illegal to use it
    .

     
     
    2.
    Will adding gold foil to food be harmful to the body?
     
      Although gold has the name of heavy metal, it is one of the most "lazy" metals in nature and hardly reacts with any substances
    .
    The human body cannot absorb it, and even if it is eaten, it will be excreted in the feces
    .
     
      It is well known that gold has excellent ductility, 1 gram of gold can press out 0.
    5 square meters of gold foil, so a piece of gold foil is not expensive
    .
    Will eating gold leaf affect your health, or even endanger your life? Why do some operators want to add gold leaf to food?
     
     
      Gold foil added to food cannot be digested by the human body.
    It is not affected by gastric juice and will be excreted intact.
    Generally, the gold foil added to food is only a few milligrams, which is very small.
    Generally speaking, it has little effect on the body
    .
    However, swallowing large amounts of food with gold foil or other toxic substances in the foil can cause stomach upset and squeeze the gastrointestinal tract
    .
     
      Many people say that in ancient times there was a saying of "suicide by swallowing gold" and that gold was poisonous
    .
    In fact, modern medicine has proved that pure gold is non-toxic, and swallowing pure gold objects will not cause poisoning and death
    .
    Some cases of death recorded in ancient documents due to drinking a small amount of wine containing gold leaf are most likely due to the limited smelting technology at that time, the purity of gold is not high, containing other toxic impurities, or someone painted the gold leaf with poison in advance
    .
    If you say "suicide by swallowing gold", the reason may be that the gold products are caused by mechanical stimulation, etc.
    , resulting in complications such as gastrointestinal rupture and bleeding, which generally require a large amount of gold swallowing
    .
     
      Others believe that from a nutritional point of view, gold is not an essential nutrient for the human body
    .
    Indeed, gold is not an essential nutrient for the human body
    .
    However, as long as you don't eat too much gold, it is neither harmful nor beneficial
    .
    Gold is very stable and will not digest or react in the human body.
    It has no nutritional value or taste.
    After eating gold foil, it will not accumulate in the body and will leave the human body intact
    .
    In the simplest terms, the gold you eat will be excreted in the feces, and the same is true of gold foil
    .
     
      Of course, if you eat too much gold, it may affect digestion or cause gastrointestinal discomfort
    .
    In Yingxi, Fuyang City, there was a case of a woman swallowing a gold ring due to a dispute with her ex-husband.
    At that time, the doctor said that because the gold is heavy and cannot be digested, it is difficult to enter the intestine with the peristalsis of the stomach and be excreted, and it will stay in the stomach for a long time.
    Cause gastric mucosal damage, severe bleeding may occur
    .
    Therefore, it is still risky to eat a large amount of indigestible things like gold
    .
     
    3.
    How to treat gold foil food?
     
      Some people feel that the addition of gold leaf to food is a manifestation of "luxury"
    .
    However, the actual cost of adding gold foil to food is not very high.
    However, merchants are likely to raise the price during marketing, so consumers should still buy rationally
    .
     
      Here, consumers need to be reminded not to eat foods that are risky or unfamiliar to them, especially foods that are prohibited by the state
    .
    If you find that gold foil or other unknown substances are added to food, you should stop eating it immediately and report the situation to the market supervision department
    .
     
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