Upper Austria Chamber of Labor:

Too Much Glycerin in Popular Slushy Drinks

Children, in particular, can quickly reach a harmful high dose (stock image)(Bild: Towfiqu Barbhuiya - stock.adobe.com)

To achieve the semi-frozen consistency of popular slushy drinks, some manufacturers deliberately add glycerin—so much so that a single cup contains amounts that pose a health risk to children. The Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor is therefore calling for a legally mandated maximum limit.

Slush drinks, also known as slushies, consist of flavored, brightly colored, partially frozen water with added sugar. To achieve the typical partially frozen consistency, some manufacturers intentionally use glycerin as an additive. There is no EU-wide legal maximum limit for its use as an additive. Likewise, there is no established safe intake level for glycerin that is considered harmless to health when consumed daily over a lifetime.

Reference Dose Established
For intake from a glycerin-containing beverage, such as slush ice, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently established 125 mg of glycerin per kg of body weight as the acute reference dose. No discernible health risk is expected up to this amount.

Headaches, Nausea, and Vomiting
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) points out that high intakes of glycerin may cause symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness. Based on available studies, the BfR has established a reference dose of 250 mg per kg of body weight, above which health effects cannot be ruled out.

How much glycerin is in a slushie?
Consumers have no way of knowing how much glycerin a slushie actually contains. The AK Upper Austria therefore had eight slushie samples tested for their glycerin content as well as for synthetic dyes. The samples were collected at an amusement park, a movie theater, and various swimming facilities.

Even a single cup can have health implications for children
While most slushies contained only negligible amounts of glycerin, one sample stood out significantly. It contained 26.9 grams per liter. It is not possible to make a general statement about the likelihood of health consequences. This depends not only on the glycerin content but also on the amount consumed and the person’s weight. Children, in particular, can quickly reach high intake levels due to their low body weight. For example, if a five-year-old child weighing about 20 kilograms were to drink 250 milliliters of this slushie, they would consume approximately 340 milligrams of glycerin per kilogram of body weight. This would mean the amount ingested is 2.7 times the acute reference dose derived by the EFSA.

AK Calls for a Limit
The AK is therefore calling for a uniform EU-wide maximum limit for the addition of glycerin to foods. Until then, parents should specifically ask whether glycerin has been added to the slush ice drinks on offer, or keep the amount consumed correspondingly low—or, if in doubt, avoid them altogether.