Slushies should not be given to under-fours, say food regulators

Children under four should not be given slushie-style drinks, according to new guidelines.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which protects public health in relation to food in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are also advising retailers not to offer free refill promotions to under-10s.

The updated industry guidance follows a risk assessment which found that children under the age of four could suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol.

Glycerol is a liquid which prevents drinks from freezing solid, and which helps slushies maintain their “slush” properties.

Slushies are made from tiny particles of flavoured ice that retain a liquid quality that allow them to be drunk.

The warning comes as the much of the UK experiences warmer than seasonal average temperatures.

The FSA and FSS said they were aware of two cases in Scotland, one in 2021 and another in 2022, where children were admitted to hospital due to glycerol intoxication.

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If several slushies are drunk in a short space of time, it can cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness in children.

Adam Hardgrave, head of additives at the FSA, said: “While the symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, it is important that parents are aware of the risks – particularly at high levels of consumption.

“It is likely that there is under-reporting of glycerol intoxication, as parents may attribute nausea and headaches to other factors.

“We are grateful to those manufacturers who have already taken steps to reduce levels of glycerol, and to those who have already told us they will be adopting our new guidelines.”

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Businesses have been told to only add glycerol at the minimum quantity technically necessary to achieve the slush effect.

While glycerol is found in some other foods, it is added at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks.

Children over the age of four are considered unlikely to suffer ill-effects from drinking one slush drink as the effects of glycerol are related to body weight.

The risk assessment and advice considered the average weight of children at different ages.

The FSA and FSS said they would monitor how widely the guidelines are adopted and could take further action in the future.

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