In the Renaissance banquets of the rich, "golden foods" sometimes appeared, covered with real gold
The " golden foods" they were a bizarre custom of Renaissance cuisine :the dishes, in practice, were covered with gold, the real one.
It goes without saying that this was a luxury that only the rich could afford.
The purpose was precisely to amaze the guests, who had to be dazzled by so much magnificence (and waste) and amazed by the economic possibilities of the landlord.
In small quantities, gold, which is non-toxic, did not cause health problems to those who ingested it.
Generally, piglets were covered with gold leaf but also loaves of bread .