The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has endorsed advice that slush ice drinks containing glycerol are not suitable for children under seven.
Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid.
While glycerol is found in some other foods, it is added at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks.
Consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children.
Professor Susan Jebb, FSA Chair said: “In the warm weather, children may be more likely to consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol, so it’s important that parents and carers are aware of the risks.
“As a precaution, the FSA is recommending that children under seven do not consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol. With our counterparts in Scotland, we will be talking to parent groups and charities to provide updated guidance that is useful and applicable across the UK.
“We expect industry to share data on the quantity of glycerol in their products to inform our future work. Meanwhile, there are immediate actions they can take that can help protect children and reduce the risk from these products. For example, retailers should limit cup sizes and should not offer free refill promotions to children under 10.”
The latest FSA risk assessment on glycerol in slush ice drinks assessed the impact of one serving of slush ice drink (350ml with 50,000mg/L glycerol) on children with a lower-than-average body weight for their age.
Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. Businesses are being advised to only add glycerol at the minimum quantity technically necessary to achieve the slush effect.
