(Dec 12) THERE are two tablets in this package - one is edible, the other is not.

Can you spot the difference?

Well, you're not alone if you're confused. Some people have taken the wrong tablet by mistake.

These Berocca Performance tablets, were given out as part of the goodie bag at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2007 earlier this month. The run attracted over 40,000 runners.

Each sachet contains two tablets - a Berocca effervescent tablet, which is edible, and a desiccant tablet, which absorbs moisture from the sachet.

The former, when mixed with water, becomes a fizzy drink.

The desiccant tablet, which is made from silica gel, is not edible.

Both tablets were in the same sachet, although in different compartments.

When contacted, Bayer HealthCare who makes the tablets, said that they've received feedback that some people here consumed the desiccant tablet by mistake.

But the company said that the tablet doesn't pose a health threat for humans and animals.

Said a Bayer Healthcare spokesman: 'Pre-packaged desiccant is used to remove humidity that would normally degrade or even destroy products sensitive to moisture.

'To avoid any misunderstanding or misuse, on the packaging material of our products, it is clearly specified that the desiccant is not to be ingested or to be swallowed.'

Manager Michael Lim, who took part in the marathon said that those who don't know what a desiccant is might just consume the tablet too.

He said: 'While the sachet had the warning 'Do not swallow', some folks may interpret it as the desiccant tablet was meant to be chewed instead of being swallowed.

Mr Lim added: 'The packaging should be in simple English. The healthcare company should just print 'This is a drying agent and it's not meant to be eaten.'

Dr Ashok Segar, a general practitioner, said that silica gel is usually used to absorb moisture from the air.

He added: 'It's not a toxic material in small amounts. If someone takes a small amount by mistake, it will usually be digested.'