Glycerol in slush update March 2025

Glycerol in slush update March 2025

March 2025

You may have noticed in the media concerns regarding glycerol as an ingredient in slush drinks leading to discomfort in children below the age of 8.

The media tend to go headline grabbing and scandalise with these things, without offering the full context, so we are setting out some of the facts.

The consequence of the SDIL (Sugar Tax) was that the slush drinks industry, including Snowshock, were compelled to adapt their recipes to become sugar free, otherwise the cost per container of slush syrup would have increased inextricably to more than double.
Glycerol, a naturally occurring vegetable based ingredient, approved by the Food Standards Agency, allows the slush consistency to form when frozen and replaces sugar. There are currently no known suitable alternatives.

We manufacture syrups to make over 2.5 million litres of slush per year, and there have been no reported adverse effects on children from our product.

Glycerol is commonly found in:

Bakery products
Cough medicines (including those for children)
Naturally occurring in honey
Soups
Marshmallows

Currently the Food Standards Agency’s ‘GUIDELINES’ here, say that ‘Slush containing Glycerol is not recommended for children 4 years of age & under”. Note: this is guidance not a ban and Snowshock are in full support.

The media are reporting that children between 4 & 7 have in isolated cases, also experienced problems. Factors included their weight, volume of slush consumed and how quickly they consumed it, whether on an empty stomach or straight after exercise. The 21 cases investigated are very rare, in comparison to the millions of slush drinks are sold in the UK & Ireland every year.
The FSA may change their ‘GUIDANCE’. in which case will keep you informed and help you stay within the guidelines.
In the meantime the signage here for the current guidance is available for download here.