About
What it is and where it shows up.
Silver leaf (E 174) is elemental silver beaten into ultra-thin decorative sheets and applied to sweets, confectionery, and desserts, primarily in South Asian cuisine. It functions solely as a surface colourant/decoration, imparting a lustrous metallic-silver appearance.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
EFSA has been unable to conclude on the safety of E 174 since its 2016 re-evaluation, citing inadequate characterisation of nanoparticle content, unknown particle size distribution, and unquantified release of ionic silver. A 2025 EFSA follow-up again found the genotoxicity and sub-chronic toxicity data submitted by industry to be inadequate. No ADI has been established; the ingredient remains under active regulatory review in the EU.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Restricted | Food-grade silver leaf (varak/varakh) is permitted under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Fifth Amendment Regulations, 2016, but must not be manufactured using materials of animal origin. FSSAI issued an advisory in 2018 directing all states to enforce this restriction. The 2016 notification was temporarily stayed by the Delhi High Court in 2017 following a petition from traditional manufacturers.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Restricted | Silver is not listed as a GRAS substance or approved food additive for direct addition to food in the US. It has limited approval as a colour additive only for use in dragée pellets, nonpareils, and silver cake decorations (21 CFR 73.2500), restricted to non-consumed decorative use only. Consumption of the silver-decorated product by eating the entire decoration is not the intended use.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Under_review | E 174 is a currently permitted food colour in the EU, but EFSA has been unable to confirm its safety since 2016 due to insufficient toxicological and physicochemical data. A 2025 follow-up opinion (EFSA-Q-2023-00169) again could not conclude on safety. The European Commission called for additional data in 2018 to fill data gaps; that process is ongoing.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Pregnancy — Given the unresolved genotoxicity data gaps identified by EFSA for silver E 174 and the potential release of ionic silver, pregnant women are advised to exercise caution until safety is confirmed.
Infants — Infants have immature detoxification systems; the uncertain nanoparticle composition of E 174 and unquantified ionic silver release make any exposure inadvisable pending full safety assessment.
Children — Children may consume silver leaf-decorated sweets frequently in South Asian dietary contexts; the ongoing EFSA safety uncertainty warrants limiting exposure in this age group.
Kidney Disease — Ionic silver released from elemental silver particles may accumulate in tissues; individuals with impaired renal function may have reduced capacity to excrete silver, increasing risk of argyria or nephrotoxicity.
Liver Disease — Silver ions are known to interact with hepatic tissues; those with pre-existing liver disease should consult a doctor before regularly consuming silver-decorated foods.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1EFSA. Follow-up of the re-evaluation of silver (E 174) as a food additive (EFSA-Q-2023-00169), 2025. efsa.europa.eu
- 2EFSA. Safety assessment of the substance silver nanoparticles for use in food contact materials, 2021. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3FSSAI. FSSAI asks states to ensure food-grade silver leaf not of animal origin, 2018. fssai.gov.in
- 4FSSAI. Gazette Notification – Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Fifth Amendment Regulation, 2016 – Standards for Silver Leaf, 2016. archive.fssai.gov.in
- 5EFSA. Scientific opinion on the re-evaluation of silver (E 174) as food additive, 2016. efsa.europa.eu
Independently researched5 citations