CHILDREN under four should not have slushy ice drinks because they can be toxic, food chiefs warn.
The Food Standards Agency said toddlers can suffer headaches and sickness due to high levels of the glycerol sweetener.
GettySlush-style drinks can have harmful amounts of sweetener in for small children[/caption]
In the worst cases they could even faint or go into shock, the FSA warned.
It added that under-10s should be refused free refills to stop them drinking too much.
Adam Hardgrave, head of additives at the regulator, said: “The symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild but 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.”
Glycerol is a sweetener found naturally in beer and honey and added to products like cereal bars, marshmallows and chewing gum.
It is also used in cosmetics and medicines because it helps cells retain water.
The FSA said slush-style drinks have higher concentrations of glycerol than other foods.
This can be a risk for small children, even from a single drink, or for bigger kids if they drink more than one in a short time, experts warned.
Two children in Scotland were hospitalised with poisoning in 2021 and 2022.
The FSA has now asked manufacturers to reduce glycerol in their drinks and sellers to be stricter about giving them to youngsters.