"DO NOT EAT." No matter how tempting you may find that little white packet at the bottom of your beef jerky package, it is not for human consumption. Silica gel…
"DO NOT EAT." No matter how tempting you may find that little white packet at the bottom of your beef jerky package, it is not for human consumption. Silica gel packets are filled with tiny beads of silicon dioxide, which is the same basic material found in sand—just processed into a highly porous, granular form. Each bead is full of microscopic pores that absorb and hold water vapor, kind of like a sponge, but on a molecular level. They don't dissolve or swell up—instead, they trap moisture inside their structure, keeping the surrounding environment dry. That's why you'll find them in packages with electronics, shoes, seaweed snacks, psychedelic mushrooms, vitamins—anything that could be damaged by humidity. They're simple but super effective little moisture magnets. Silica gel itself was invented way back in 1919 by a…