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IFA: Ninja announces slush machine for the home
by Lorenz Keller
Hospitalised for slushies: case study identifies risks for children
20/3/2025
Translation: machine translated
Researchers have scrutinised slush drinks. The result: if the iced slush contains a lot of glycerine, this can lead to malaise, hypoglycaemia and even unconsciousness in small children.
Hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness
The quantity makes the poison
Despite this, the study team recommends adjusting the recommendations. Currently, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that children under the age of five should not sip slush drinks
«The assessment of the measured glycerol concentrations in a total of 62 slush ice samples showed that younger children can already ingest amounts of glycerol that correspond to or exceed the therapeutically effective dose at consumption levels below 200 millilitres (ml).»
From the BfR's point of view, there would be health concerns above this "therapeutic" dose of 250 milligrams per kilogramme of body weight. The bad news: it's not worth doing the maths, as there is no maximum permitted amount of glycerine and you're unlikely to find a slush stand that lists it.
Despite this, the institute provides a sample calculation according to which a five-year-old child weighing 20 kilograms could drink almost 200 millilitres of slush before reaching the dose, provided the drink has the average glycerine content of around 26 grams per litre. But who knows for sure.
The institute's succinct advice: "Consumers can do without slush ice." And producers could check whether glycerine is necessary in slushies. After all, a third of the samples did not contain any glycerine at all, while the concentration in the remaining samples was between one and 142 grams per litre.
The downside of the sugar tax
The glycerine problem with slushies could be even bigger in the UK than it is here. There, the successful sugar tax ensures that fewer people are overweight. If a drink contains five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, 18 pence per litre is charged. From 8 grams of sugar, the tax is 24 pence.
Suppliers and consumers can save money by switching to sugar-free drinks. Like slushies, for example, which contain plenty of glycerine. In this country, your child has a better chance of getting what the colourful slush looks like: a good portion of sugar - combined with an unknown amount of glycerine. Not much better either. If you want to know exactly what's being greedily sucked through the straw, it's best to make the summer drink yourself.
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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