Having eaten silica gel beads (great with paste), I can confirm that the warning is really mostly about the packet materials, especially if they are a little on the rigid/pointy side. But also, there are so many better snacks than silica gel beads. Like corn starch packing peanuts.
Two examples from pill bottles, the quantity on the left is probably a problem if a small child or president opened it to snack on and it is a bit of a mouth-full unopened, the one on the right is pointy and might get stuck but likely not enough beads to be a problem on their own.
