In 2023, the UK Food Standards Agency issued new voluntary guidance for glycerol in slush-ice drinks : saying they should not be sold to children four years old and under.
In 2023, the UK Food Standards Agency issued new voluntary guidance for glycerol in slush-ice drinks: saying they should not be sold to children four years old and under.
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Slush ice drinks – also known as slushies or a slush – are brightly-colored frozen drinks which are designed to appeal to children.
They’re commonly sold in locations popular with children: such as parks, soft play and trampolining centers.
Ingredients in slushies vary. But with strong momentum towards reducing sugar across F&B, many are now advertised as sugar-free or with no-added sugar and contain glycerol (E422, also known as glycerin), often alongside other sweeteners such as stevia or sucralose (E955).
Glycerol stops the ice in the drinks from fully freezing: and creates the ‘slushy’ texture the drinks are known and loved for – but without sugar.
But it’s this ingredient that’s now creating concerns.
