Warning over potentially fatal ingredient inside slush drinks after two children nearly died within weeks

There is an ingredient in iced slushy drinks that can cause serious health risks for children, and a warning has been issued.

The discovery was made after two children almost died within weeks of consuming the sweet treat.

You might have had it as a child when you went to the arcade or a funfair, but slush drinks are often a treat for kids or even some adults.

And you can see why they're loved, the sweetness and range of flavours means you have endless possibilities.

Also the colours are cool, or maybe that just appeals to me.

Unfortunately though if you are a sucker for an icy slushy, a harmful ingredient that can be very dangerous for young children has been identified in some of them.

Earlier this year, mum Victoria Anderson explained that her three-year-old son, Angus, collapsed half an hour after having a slushy for the first time.

His body became limp and cold as she waited for paramedics to arrive, but luckily doctors brought him back to consciousness at Glasgow Children's Hospital after over two hours.

Just last week, another mum revealed the story of her son who 'almost died' after having a slush, though he also hallucinated before becoming unconscious.

But what is it that's causing these health scares?

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The dangerous ingredient in slush drinks has been revealed to be glycerol by The Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Also referred to as E422, this ingredient is highly in many slushy drinks as it stops the liquid from freezing, therefore saving the slushiness and acting as a sweetener that is also sugar-free.

Glycerol is generally low in toxicity and the amount in the icy drinks doesn't harm adults or older children, but younger ones struggle to process it because of their lower body weight.

According to medics, both boys suffered from glycerol intoxication after having their colourful slushies.

The FSA recommends children under four avoid slushy drinks that contain glycerol.

They also advised companies not to offer free refill promotions to under-10s.

If young children have too much glycerol, they could experience nausea, headaches and even loss of consciousness.

Kennedy

The FSA says that very high levels of exposure 'intoxicates' children and that this is typically brought on when 'several of these products are drunk by a child in a short space of time'.

The FSA's Head of Additives, Adam Hardgrave, said: "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.

"It is likely that there is under-reporting of glycerol intoxication, as parents may attribute nausea and headaches to other factors.

"We are grateful to those manufacturers who have already taken steps to reduce levels of glycerol, and to those who have already told us they will be adopting our new guidelines."

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