The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued new voluntary guidance on glycerol (a naturally occuring alcohol) in slush-ice drinks, advising that they should not be sold to children aged four and under.
It follows a risk assessment by the FSA which found that young children may suffer from headaches or sickness caused by exposure to glycerol – a substitute for sugar to create the slush effect.It says it is also aware of two cases in Scotland where children were hospitalised because of glycerol intoxication.According to the FSA, at very high levels of exposure – typically when several of slush-ice products are drunk by a child in a short space of time – glycerol intoxication could cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness.Its new guidance asks businesses 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.The FSA’s risk assessment is based upon a worst-case ‘exposure scenario’.Those above the age of four are considered unlikely to suffer ill effects from drinking one slush drink. This is because the effects of glycerol are related to body weight, says the FSA.
Its head of additives, Adam Hardgrave, 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.’