Esta é uma prática razoavelmente comum na culinária do sul da Ásia. Algumas informações razoavelmente confiáveis podem ser encontradas no artigo da Wikipedia sobre vark . Citando a seção sobre segurança:
Gold and silver are approved food foils in the European Union, as E175 and E174 additives respectively. The independent European food-safety certification agency, TÜV Rheinland, has deemed gold leaf safe for consumption. Gold and silver leaf are also certified as kosher. These inert precious metal foils are neither considered as toxic to human beings nor to broader ecosystems
e
The total silver metal intake per kilogram of sweets eaten, from vark, is less than one milligram.