stories : Nagging Question
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Poison PacketsWhat happens if you eat one of those silica gel packets? |
What happens if you eat one of those silica gel packets that come in the pepperoni you ordered online, your Jimmy Choos, or your new leather coat?
We’re not sure why you would, but if you’ve eaten one by mistake, you’ll likely be fine. According to Mike Yudizky, a recently retired paramedic and the public health educator at the North Texas Poison Control Center, “It’s nothing more than a type of sand. Despite the big-time warnings, it’s completely nontoxic.” Even if you were to eat a shoebox full of packets, the only result would be “an upset tummy. But the same would happen if you drank too much water.”
The grains of what looks like clear caviar in the tiny packets are a desiccant. That is, they absorb moisture. You find them in food products that will have a longer shelf life if they stay dry. That could include pepperoni, dried nuts and fruits, or vitamins.
So why do the packets include warnings, occasionally including a skull and crossbones? To avoid product liability cases, says Yudizky. The packets are “harmful if swallowed by an infant or pet, as they could choke or aspirate on the silicon gel packet,” explains Michelle Musallam, a certified physician’s assistant in Dallas, Texas.
In some cases, the stuff is coated with a moisture indicator such as cobalt (II) chloride, a toxic substance that may be carcinogenic. But Yudizky says even that wouldn’t be a problem because of the incredibly small amount involved.
Tapioca!
Link to the Material Safety Data Sheet for silica gel: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishht...
IAAL. No company would include anything poisonous in food, even with the strongest warnings. The product liability consequences would be astronomical.
The worst that can happen is some crunch in your mouth and maybe a little grit at the other end a day or two later.
In the book "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore, a character dies from eating silica packets. Don't believe the hype!
I sprinkle that stuff on my pancakes! yum!
Please note: the above comment is a joke. DO NOT sprinkle silica crystals on your pancakes.
They're far too dry and crunchy, and they require softening before consumption. Plus they go much better with savory dishes. I recommend sauteeing them in olive oil with tarragon and a pinch of smoked salt - they really soak up the flavor.
"No company would include anything poisonous in food..."
Have you been a McDonalds lately?
I unfortunately did swallow a silica gel cylinder with my vitamins. I have no idea how long ago, but I recently spent 8 days in the hospital with pancreatitis. The doc did not know what the problem was I was in severe pain and results of cat-scan showed something lodged in my stomach on second cat a week later it was still there. It was removed a week later and turned out to be a silica gel cylinder. The doc thought the pancreatitis was chemically induced. I was lucky pancreatitis can be life threatening