Slushies should not be given to under-fours, says food regulator

Children under four should not be given slush-style drinks, and under-10s should be excluded from free refill promotions, according to new guidelines.

There are concerns about the risk of intoxication from glycerol, a liquid which prevents the drink from freezing solid and maintains its “slush” properties.

While its toxicity is very low, regulator Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is aware of two cases in recent years, in Edinburgh and Lanarkshire, where children were admitted to hospital because of glycerol intoxication.

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

Stephen Hendry, head of standards at FSS, said: “While risk assessment work shows that symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, it is important that parents are aware of the risks – particularly at high levels of consumption.

“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.”

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

Children over 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.