Just so we are clear, I am an English university student, I don't drink much, have never done drugs, and don't smoke, I am doing computer programming and already have a diploma, just so we are clear I am not stupid.

One day after several hours of programming I get the munchies and decide I need to eat, I take a walk to the store and discover a new snack, beef jerky, and decide I want to try this, I take my snack home and sit back down at my computer, I notice the packet has PEPPERED written on the front and discover a packet of small round black things, I assume this is in fact the pepper. So I sprinkle the 'pepper' all over my jerky and enjoy my snack.

Now for those who have not eaten beef jerky and don't know what this is, the contents of the small bag are a compound that is used to remove oxygen from food packets to keep the food fresher for longer.

Now considering I have just CONSUMED this, we have to imagine what the effects on the human body would be...

I shall tell you what happens, or what did happen to me. I drink lots of carbonated drinks and I didn't notice at the time that I was not getting gas, my weight fluctuates around the 8-9 stone (128 - 144 lbs tops) area normally, my weight dropped to just under 8 stone and i slept for even longer than I normally do.

Two days later...

I go to the bathroom (remember I am a student, I have two house mates) and while I am enjoying a good book my house mate knocks on the door, and I quote what was said.

House mate:'What the hell are you doing in there?' Me:'Using the bathroom, why?' House Mate:'For what?' Me:'Going for a crap, why?' House mate:'That smell is your crap!!!???' Me:'What smell?' House mate:'The whole house smells like melting tires, and it's coming from in there!'

It's at this point I finish up and double check that he's not just pulling my leg, sure enough the whole house smells like burning rubber and after leaving the bathroom for a few min I find that indeed the smell is coming from the bathroom.

I later discovered the compound is highly toxic and should not be eaten, eating it is usually fatal, it's a miracle I didn't end myself. Keith Stasney comments,"Totally implausible. Those packets generally contain a desiccant (silica gel), an oxygen-absorber (iron), or both. A quick search for an MSDS on silica gel revels it to be non-toxic and without any of the side-effects given in the story. While both iron and iron oxide produced by oxygen-absorption "may produce gastrointestinal disturbances," these side effects are only produced by "extremely large doses," which would not apply to quantities found in the small packets commonly packaged with beef jerky. In conclusion, the story is not at all factual."

Submitted on 11/12/2006

Submitted by: Neil Munro
Reference: Personal experience: 2006

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

Graham said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Eating silica gel is definitely NOT recommended. How odd that your package did not have the words DO NOT EAT printed on them, like they usually do. You may want to mention this to the manufacturer of the Jerky!

James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Usually, silica gel is white or colorless. The fact that it was black and resembled pepper is both alarming and hilarious! I couldn't help chuckling, then laughing as I read this! It really was one of those almost innocent gaffs which could happen to anyone! Thanks for sharing, Neil, this is actually a lot funnier that it may initially seem! :-)

Jorge said:
Neutral: Personal Account

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