This seems like an incredibly stressful thing to have to do before you eat any food that's prepared by "your" royal kitchen. But, I suppose royal persons have many many many more stressful things to worry about.

I've being a bit vague with "royal persons" as to hopefully gain answers from all across the globe and timeline. I'm sure this idea permeates through humans as it's kind of a principle thought: "My enemies may want me dead"

Furthermore, how exactly was this made practical? Are there poisons that can take hours and hours to have affect? If so, was this accounted for?

Or was this more of a special circumstance type-thing where royals vising other royals would have their respective servants try the food out of distrust of the opposing royal? (wordy sentence) Where, otherwise if they were at home, they wouldn't bother with taste testing when they trust the full royal kitchen staff?

OR! Is this just a bunch of hubub?

I'm happy to clarify on any questions, and am interested in answers from wherever.