The granites, also called slushies, sometimes contain glycerol. This sweetener can trigger poisoning in children.
- The granita, these sweets between ice and drink, sometimes contain glycerol, a sweetener.
- In Ireland and the United Kingdom, several poisoning have been reported in children.
- The affected children had hypoglycemia attacks, sometimes with losses of knowledge.
The granities are to be avoided for young children. According to a study published in Archives of Disease in Childhoodthey should not consume these colored ice. Several poisoning have been identified in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
What are the symptoms of glycerol intoxication linked to granita?
In English -speaking countries, these drinks are called slushies, in reference to slush which means ‘melted snow’ because they have the same appearance. Glycerol makes it possible to obtain this texture without adding too many sugars. This recent research is based on the cases of 21 children, which have become seriously ill after consuming this type of refreshments, between 2009 and 2024. “Almost all children (93 %) felt bad within 60 minutes of consumption of frozen drinksobserve the authors. None of them had medical history“Among the symptoms identified, there was a loss of consciousness, hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis (lactic), a drop in blood bicarbonate which can result in a drop in blood pressure, pseudohypertriglyceridemia and hypokalemia, which corresponds to a drop in potassium in blood.”Consumption of glazed drinks based on slush containing glycerol can cause clinical syndrome for glycerol in young childrentherefore conclude scientists. This imitates hereditary disorders of gluconeogenesis and metabolism of glycerol.“”
Glycerol poisoning: an impact difficult to measure
In an article of the BbcProfessor Ellen Crushell, the main author of this work, believes that these results could only be the emerged part of the iceberg. As thousands of children consume this type of drinks every day in the world, it is possible that there are a group of “Light symptoms “. In short, children suffering from nausea or vomiting after drinking these granities, but who do not need to go to a hospital. They would not be identified among the side effects. Others, perhaps, feel no specific symptoms.
Granites: drinks to avoid before eight years
In the United Kingdom, health authorities However, advise against products containing glycerol to children under the age of four because “secondary effects such as headaches or discomfort in particular when consumed in excess “. Following their results, the study authors recommend that parents are to be vigilant and suggest that they do not give this type of drinks to children under the age of eight.
