This drink that children love in the summer is dangerous for their health, many have been poisoned

More and more children are being poisoned after consuming this drink, which contains a potentially dangerous ingredient.

It's one of the most popular drinks among children when it's hot. And for good reason: it's refreshing, very sweet, and colorful. But they might want to avoid it. It can cause poisoning, which several children have suffered from in recent years.

Got it? It's called granita. This drink is actually grated or crushed ice to which syrup is added for sweetness and color. The problem is the presence of glycerol, or glycerin. This food additive, also known as E422, is the ingredient responsible for the poisonings. "Consumption of iced drinks containing glycerol can cause a clinical syndrome of glycerol poisoning in young children," note researchers who recently published a study on these poisoning cases in Great Britain.

Between 2018 and 2024, around twenty children aged 2 to 7 were hospitalized for poisoning after drinking a slush drink. They suffered, generally within an hour of drinking one, from various symptoms: loss of consciousness, hypoglycemia (often severe), low blood potassium levels, or even a buildup of acidity in the blood. One child even had a seizure. Fortunately, all the children recovered quickly.

The authors of the British study believe that "clinicians and parents should be attentive to this phenomenon, and public health organizations should ensure that they disseminate clear messages that young children, especially those under 8 years old, should avoid iced drinks containing glycerol."

In England and Ireland, children under 4 years old are already advised not to consume it. However, in France, where the additive is also permitted, there is currently no recommendation for children to consume granita. To avoid any risks, it is best to learn about the composition of granita and consume as little of it as possible.