White silica gel, suitable for food contact.
Are you looking for silica gel beads suitable for food-contact applications? Find out about the key criteria here and find the right GIEBEL product for you.
Is silica gel safe around food?
The gel itself, yes. It is amorphous silicon dioxide, chemically the same material the EU permits as food additive E551, and it holds water only on its surface, without reacting with anything. There is simply nothing in the bead that could move into food.
The risk lies in what is added to the gel or left behind in it. The well-known blue indicator gel gets its color from cobalt chloride, which is classified as carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction. Residues from production, such as acids or heavy metals, do not belong in a food package either. That is why "food safe" describes a complete composition, not a gel type, and why a desiccant sachet in the EU needs a written declaration of compliance.
GIEBEL food-safe silica gel.
FAQ - your questions, answered.
≥99 % Silicon dioxide (SiO₂), <1 % Water (H₂O)
Silica gels containing color indicators are not toxic per se. However, to prevent the potential transfer of dyes, they are not suitable for contact with food.
You tell us about your application details – we check them, tell you if it`s feasible and send you an individual declaration of conformity.