Slush ice drinks, or ‘slushies’, can contain the ingredient glycerol, a substitute for sugar, at a level required to create the ‘slush’ effect. At this level, it is recommended that children four years of age and under should not consume these drinks.
To prevent young children being exposed to excessive amounts of glycerol, it is advised that slush ice drinks should not be sold to children four years of age and under and free refill promotions should not be offered to under-10s.
What are the symptoms of glycerol intoxication?
At very high levels of exposure – typically when several of these products are drunk by a child in a short space of time – glycerol intoxication could cause shock, hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and loss of consciousness.
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