___ gel (moisture-absorbing stuff marked "Do not eat")

SILICA

You’ll find these tiny drying beads packed with electronics or shoe boxes to fight humidity.

This clue is looking for a word that fits before "gel" to describe those tiny packets labeled "Do not eat" that come in product boxes. The answer is "silica" because silica gel is a drying agent that absorbs moisture, and the blank hints at the missing first word. The "Do not eat" part is a playful nod to the warning labels on silica gel packets, making it easier to recognize.