The beauty of food gold and silver is that a touch is all it takes to make every dish shine and offer diners a truly scenic experience.
If you love to use (or even just experiment with) these magical ingredients in the kitchen, you may have wondered at least once “how can I store them, where and for how long?”.
This article aims to help you resolve any doubts regarding their conservation.
First things first: are edible gold and silver as eternal as they seem to be?
The good news is that edible gold is a stable material: it is not subject to particular degradation, such as oxidation or alterations of a microbial nature. However, European legislation (Reg. EU 1169/2011), requires that food products be accompanied by an expiry date or a minimum shelf life (Best before date), without exception for gold whose shelf life is generally indicated to be ten years.
Edible silver, like gold, is not subject to micro-bacterial alterations, however it is susceptible to oxidation! For this reason, the recommended use-by-date has been reduced to 3 years with the suggestion of consuming it within 6 months of opening the packaging.
How and where to store edible gold and silver in the kitchen
The perfect environment follows 3 golden rules (literally): dry, clean and away from direct light. Gold Chef formats are packaged in sealed and protective packaging, but once opened it is important to:
- Keep them away from sinks, steam and heat sources.
- Close the container well after each use.
- Handle gold with clean, dry tools, such as tweezers, brushes, or teaspoons.
If exposed to moisture, it is very likely that the gold particles tend to aggregate, making it more difficult to use, especially if it is shredded. Gold leaf may also stick to tissue paper.
Practical tips based on the format
Once you’ve learned the 3 basic rules for the perfect storage environment, the next step is to apply some small precautions for each type of format you have:
- Leaves: they are very delicate and must not be crushed by other products. Store them flat down and in the original packaging.
- Dust, crumbs, flakes: at Gold Chef, we have collected these products in two lines, different based on the type of packaging. You&Me, designed for a couples, packages these products in small paper bags that we recommend protecting from crushing. Once opened, it is important to store the products in airtight containers. Family&Friends, on the other hand, which are dedicated to important celebrations, are offered in glass jars that simply need to be carefully resealed after each use to ensure product preservation.
- Gold spray: close the bottle tightly and keep it in an upright position far from heat sources.
- Decorative pills: they are very stable, yet here too, avoid light and steam.
- Gel: store in a dry place in its original packaging.
Edible gold and silver are not simply decorative items, rather they are precious elements of care, refinement and attention to the visual experience.
Proper conservation ensures their long-lasting performance, keeping their magic intact over time.If you’d like to discover all the formats available, visit the official goldchef.shop website.
