Desiccant is a special agent that helps dry or absorb environmental moisture. The role of the desiccant bags or packs is to absorb humidity and keep this humidity inside. Silica gel is a pure and porous silicon dioxide made using a ” sodium silicate agent.” Typically, silica gel is processed to obtain beads or granules. Silica gel has a very high absorption capacity thanks to its small and dense pores. Even when these pores become saturated with moisture or humidity, they will not change their size or shape. If you look closely at such a silica gel pack, you will notice that even though it is saturated with moisture, the tiny bag still feels very dry.
Desiccant bags have a variety of uses, and they protect all sorts of materials, items, and even food from moisture damage. These tiny bags represent a very clever storage option. They are widely used when packing medications (think of vitamins, for example), different foods (coffee, fruits, etc.), snacks, cookies, nuts & seeds, beef jerky, pet foods, spices, cocoa, coffee, and plenty of other such food and non-food items. If you are shipping items that could be exposed to the risk of humidity damage, you should invest in desiccant packs to protect them during storage and shipping.
Desiccant packs can also help save a wet cell phone from water damage, your camera, expensive watches, shoes, electronics, and leather items. Therefore, desiccant packs represent a good choice not only for your business but also for your home.
It is extremely important to mention that the FDA recognizes silica gel as a safe material. Silica gel is a non-toxic agent, but you will most often see the message “do not eat” on the labels of these packs simply because it is not a food item. These desiccant bags work best in tightly sealed containers (think of a jar with cookies or a bag of coffee, for example). When exposed to open air, the packs constantly absorb moisture from the environment, so they may not be as effective as protecting the item you want.