At Least 21 Children Hospitalized After Drinking Slushies with Common — and Legal — Ingredient, Study Finds

Mar. 15, 2025

Child holding a slushie (stock image).Photo:Getty

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At least 21 children were hospitalized over the last 15 years in the U.K. and Ireland after drinking slush ice drinks containing glycerol, according to a new study.

TheArchives of Disease in Childrenreported that 21 children aged 2-6 were sent to hospitals unconscious in the U.K. and Ireland after becoming “acutely unwell” from consuming slushies from 2009 through 2024.

According to the study, 93% of the children became unwell “within 60 minutes” of drinking the slush ice drinks, which contained the sweetener glycerol — used to create the “slush” effect — possibly causing glycerol intoxication.

The symptoms of the hospitalized children included decreased consciousness, low blood sugar levels and low levels of potassium in the blood, the study results showed. Glycerol was also found in all of the children’s urine samples.

According to the study, none of the patients had a history of medical conditions. Results showed that 95% of the children “did not have reoccurrence” after they stopped drinking slushies following hospitalization.

Sick girl in hospital (stock image).Getty

“Consumption of slush ice drinks containing glycerol may cause a clinical syndrome of glycerol intoxication in young children,” they wrote. “This mimics inherited disorders of gluconeogenesis and glycerol metabolism. Clinicians and parents should be alert to the phenomenon, and public health bodies should ensure clear messaging regarding [this].”

Additionally, theFood Standards Agencyrecommends that children aged 4 years and under should “not consume” slush ice drinks containing glycerol “due to their potential to cause side-effects such as headaches and sickness, particularly when consumed in excess.”

Glycerol is “generally thought to be safe in humans,” and it is an authorized group I food additive in the EU, under Annex II and Annex III of Regulation (EC) number 1333/2008, per the ADC. The organization added, however, that “there is poor transparency around glycerol concentration,” possibly leading to children being hospitalized.

Child holding a slushy ice drink (stock image).Getty

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Rebecca Sudworth, director of policy at the FSA, said in a statement, “We continue to strongly encourage parents to follow [our] advice, which is that slushie drinks should not be given to children under four years old. Retailers are also advised to make parents fully aware of this guidance,” perBBC News.

“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,” Sudworth added.

PEOPLE has reached out to the FSA for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

source: people.com