silica gel FAQ

Silica gel is a substance made from silicon dioxide — a compound naturally found in sand — and has small particles that can absorb large amounts of water.

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 maneuvers: For children aged over one year, perform the Heimlich maneuver . For children aged less than one year, perform the infant Heimlich maneuver. Do not put your fingers in your child’s mouth as this may push the packet into their airway.

‌Silica gel can irritate your eyes. If you do get some in your eyes, rinse them with lukewarm water, occasionally lifting the upper and lower lids, for at least 15 minutes.

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.

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.

Silica gel is a “desiccant,” which means that it keeps things dry by absorbing moisture.