Silica gel is a “desiccant,” which means that it’s used to keep things dry. Silica gel is made from silicon dioxide — a compound naturally found in sand — and has small particles that can absorb large amounts of water. Therefore, desiccant silica gel packets are put in store-bought products to prevent damage due to humidity. Silica gel packets can often be found in the following products:
- Clothes (e.g., coats, shoes, and hats)
- Electronics (e.g., cellphone and camera boxes)
- Medication or vitamin bottles
- Foods (e.g., packets of dry fruits)
Manufacturers frequently label packets “Do not eat” because poison control centers have reported increases in incidences of people accidentally eating silica gel packets. Most cases involve young children.
Silica gel is non-toxic but it is a choking hazard for young children.
However, in some rare instances, manufacturers coat silica gel in cobalt chloride, a toxic compound.
Eating cobalt chloride-coated silica gel will likely cause nausea and vomiting.
Cobalt chloride is a moisture indicator that is dark blue when dry and pink when saturated with water.
Cobalt chloride-coated silica gel isn’t usually used for consumer products.
Children can mistake silica gel for food or candy and eat either the silica gel or the entire packet. Adults sometimes mistake silica gel packets for the salt or sugar packets commonly found in takeout food.
Accidentally eating desiccant silica gel shouldn’t make you or your child sick because it’s chemically inert, which means that it won’t break down in the body and cause poisoning. Most of the time, silica gel will pass through your body without any harmful effects.
But this doesn’t mean that eating silica gel is entirely without risk. Desiccant silica gel is a choking hazard. Also, if eaten in large quantities, desiccant silica gel may cause intestinal obstruction. This is why manufacturers often label the packets with “Do not eat” or “Throw away after using”.
In rare cases, other toxic components (e.g., cobalt chloride and strong alkali) are present in the silica gel packets. Therefore, it is important to check for any symptoms (e.g., vomiting and stomach pains) after the silica gel has been eaten.
If you or your child accidentally eats silica gel, it is important to drink water to help the gel pass to the stomach. You should then continue to monitor for any symptoms. If your child is choking, seek emergency medical attention and perform the following:
- For children aged over one year, ask medical assistance immediately
- For children aged less than one year, ask for medical assistance immediately
- Do not put your fingers in your child’s mouth as this may push the packet into their airway.
The dehydration caused by swallowing silica gel may irritate the throat and nose, stomach pains, vomiting, constipation, and nausea. You should seek medical attention if:
- The silica gel beads are blue or pink (i.e., coated in cobalt chloride).
- You have vomited repeatedly or can’t keep food down.
- You are experiencing stomach pain and/or can’t pass gas or stool.
Stomach pains and the inability to pass gas or stool can indicate an intestinal obstruction, which may be caused by the silica gel packet.
Silica gel can irritate your eyes. Therefore, you must rinse your eyes with lukewarm water, occasionally lifting the upper and lower lids, for at least 15 minutes.
