Latest news with #SlushPuppie
Wall Street Journal
18-07-2025
- Wall Street Journal
Frozen Drinks at Home?
The Slushi makes slushies, of course, turning drinks of all sorts, from soda to juice to cocktails, into frozen(ish) concoctions. The mechanics are simple. Pour 16 to 64 ounces of your beverage in the top of the vessel, choose from one of five preset programs (slush, spiked slush, frappé, milkshake or frozen juice) and in 15 minutes to an hour, your frozen treat will be ready. The machine looks similar to the frozen drink maker you might see behind a bar, on a smaller scale. There's a metal evaporator at the core, attached to a motor, with a plastic auger that keeps the liquid moving around it as it freezes. All of that is housed in the transparent plastic vessel with a built-in pour spout. I primarily focused on the slush and spiked slush settings in my testing. The output of each was somewhere between the micro-pebbly ice texture of a Slush Puppie and a smooth, airy Slurpee from 7-Eleven, depending on the freeze setting, although it was inconsistent. For example, a cream soda slush was too thick to smoothly dispense at its default setting, but turning down the temperature one notch brought it closer to a liquid than was ideal. Across my tests, the slushes were never totally homogeneous, as there was always some discernible liquid surrounding the frozen beverage. While it didn't make the treat any less tasty, it was noticeable every time, and a little surprising for a premium device. I recently hosted a Fourth of July party where I put the Slushi to the test. I started with a frozen Negroni recipe I found on YouTube, made with the standard gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, plus orange juice and grapefruit juice to cut down the alcohol percentage and increase the sugar content. After an hour of roaring and whining, the mixture was still liquid, suggesting the alcohol content was too high to properly freeze. I added some more juice and within about half an hour had a delicious, and, just as importantly, frozen slushie. It was gone almost as quickly. Ninja includes a manual with a handful of recipes and, more importantly, guidelines for making your own concoctions. Slushes need to have certain sugar and alcohol thresholds to freeze properly, and the instructions can help you figure out the right proportions. Cleanup is relatively easy, especially because the removable components are dishwasher safe. Does anyone actually need this slushie maker at home? Probably not. Will it be the star of the party if you have one? Almost certainly. While it's not perfect, it's hard not to love the Slushi for what it is.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Mum's urgent warning against giving popular summer drink to children under the age of 8 & the reason why is terrifying
A MOTHER has issued a stark warning against a popular summer drink kids go crazy for. Sherene, a mum-of-two, took to TikTok to summer holidays. 2 Slushies may seem like a harmless drink to treat kids to on holiday Credit: Getty 2 But one mum has revealed they come with major health risks Credit: tiktok/@shercyrusx The mum, from the UK, was on holiday at the time, and spotted plenty of parents letting their children drink slushies by the pool. But she said there were some serious hidden dangers lurking in the icy drink. She said: "The amount of people I have seen whilst being on holiday, giving their one-year-old and two-year-old slush puppies is beyond me." While the mum picked out the name-brand of the frozen drinks, it wasn't just Slush Puppies that could pose a danger, as any at-home or pre-made frozen slushie drink could be a risk. READ MORE ON PARENTING "Now I know a lot of people are uneducated on it. So I'm going to share a few facts on why I will never give my child or children Slush Puppies, at least until they are 10 years old," she continued. Glycerol is a key ingredient in the drinks as it stops the liquid from freezing solid. But too much glycerol can have dangerous effects on children under 10. At high levels, it can cause Glycerol Intoxication which can cause shock, hypoglycaemia and loss of consciousness. Most read in Fabulous Now, most slushies are made with low levels, but vendors may not measure the amount of the liquid properly which could pose a danger, says Sherene. The mum added: "Instead of measuring the correct amount of glycerol in each cup or in each machine, they will just keep topping it up. I bought a dated caravan & turned it into my family's very own second home for £4.5k - now we holiday for just £10 a day "So they never know the exact amount and that can potentially unalive your child. "I would rather my child scream the shop down instead of giving her a Slush Puppy." The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has now updated its guidance to state that slush ice drinks containing glycerol are not suitable for children under seven. Earlier this year, the Members of the food watchdog's board called for the change after reviewing evidence on the risk of glycerol to young children's health. Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol - also called E422 or glycerine on some labels - as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. The sugar substitute is also found in some other foods, but at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks. "I give my kids a lot of things to make my life easier. Slush puppy will not be one of them. It's just so, so dangerous. It's not worth it," Sherene said. The clip was shared on her TikTok account @ Parents were quick to thank her for the warning in the comments. One person wrote: "I gave my toddler a Slush Puppie I didn't know that they are dangerous. I don't understand why there isn't any awareness on this or age restriction!!! Thank you for sharing." Swimming safety advice Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer : How to stay safe at the beach Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: "If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety. "If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard." How to stay safe at the swimming pool "It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life". An Auqabliss spokesperson added: 'Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool. 'Children may try to grab these from the pool's edge and fall in." How to stay safe at a waterpark Ali Beckman, "And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently. ' Another commented: "Why don't they put an age restriction on them?" "Well I don't watch the news and this is the first I have heard about it, thank you for the awareness, we go on holiday next month and it will be a big nope for them to have one now," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "I didn't know this at ALL. I take my kids to the cinema regularly and I always get them a slushie." "Thank you for educating us! Because I was so unaware until last week! Thank you mummaaa,' claimed a fifth Someone else added: "I've been a parent for 12 years and I literally never knew this!! I mean a slush puppy is a very rare treat for my children but that's mad!"
Belfast Telegraph
09-07-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
This is summer 2025's coolest gadget – ideal for the lazy, the hungover and the time-poor
Picture the scene: it's the first properly hot weekend of the year (anything in the high teens for NI) and suddenly you're craving a strawberry daiquiri. Or maybe your children have declared that they must have a Slush Puppie every three hours or they'll perish. Or perhaps you simply had a big night and now want something cold, sweet and forgiving. Either way, it's hard to ignore the fact that summer 2025 seems to have declared itself the season of the frozen drink. And if you're going to join in, you might as well do it properly.
Belfast Telegraph
08-07-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Tech review: Inoviva's Slushie Machine is summer's coolest gadget
Picture the scene: it's the first properly hot weekend of the year (anything in the high teens for NI) and suddenly you're craving a strawberry daiquiri. Or maybe your children have declared that they must have a Slush Puppie every three hours or they'll perish. Or perhaps you simply had a big night and now want something cold, sweet and forgiving. Either way, it's hard to ignore the fact that summer 2025 seems to have declared itself the season of the frozen drink. And if you're going to join in, you might as well do it properly.
The Irish Sun
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning over slushy drinks that leave children unconscious – after toddler was '20 minutes from death'
EXPERTS have issued an urgent warning over popular slushy drinks that could leave children unconscious. Parents giving the icy shakes to kids as a cooling summer treat were told they may contain high amounts of a sweet syrup that's dangerous to young children. Advertisement 6 Slushy drinks could be dangerous to children under the age of seven Credit: Getty 6 Arla Agnew was rushed to hospital with hypoglycemia after drinking a Slush Puppie Credit: Supplied 6 Ted (front) and Austin Wallis (back) had glycerol intoxication syndrome after drinking slushies Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Brightly coloured slushies are a mainstay at cinemas, corner shops and theme parks - especially as temperatures ramp up. But the sweet icy drinks often contain glycerol, a sugar substitute that gives slushies their signature, semi-frozen texture. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has now updated its guidance to state that slush ice drinks containing glycerol are not suitable for children under seven. It follows several incidents involving slushy drinks in recent months. Advertisement Read more on slushies A two-year-old girl was left listless and grey and "20 minutes from death" after having a slushy drink at a neighbour's birthday party, according to her gran. And two young boys became violently ill after slurping on slushies as a half term treat. Earlier this year, the — which are designed to appeal to children — were linked to the hospitalisation of 21 children aged two to seven. Members of the food watchdog's board called for the change after reviewing evidence on the risk of glycerol to young children's health. Advertisement Most read in Health UK guidance previously stated that that slush ice drinks with glycerol are not recommended for children under four due to the risk of glycerol intoxication, and that those under 11 should have no more than one. Now, the FSA warned parents not to give the drinks to children under seven. Urgent warning over popular drink after toddler collapses in front of terrified mum FSA chair Professor Susan Jebb: "In the warm weather, children may be more likely to consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol, so it's important that parents and carers are aware of the risks. "As a precaution, the FSA is recommending that children under seven do not consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol." Advertisement Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol - also called E422 or glycerine on some labels - as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. The sugar substitute is also found in some other foods, but at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks. Consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children - also known as glycerol intoxication syndrome. Dr Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston Medical School in Birmingham, previously told Sun Health why children - who are smaller than adults - are more at risk of drinking dangerous amounts. Advertisement "If too much glycerol is consumed too quickly and in too large a volume, it can potentially change the blood concentration," Dr Mellor said. "This can then affect the amount of fluid around the brain, leading to symptoms including confusion, dizziness, nausea and even, on occasion, loss of consciousness." Pharmacist Abbas Kanani, from Chemist Click, told Sun Health: "Glycerol may cause side effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, and headaches. "In the case of slush-ice drinks, the dangers are typically associated with very high levels of exposure and may lead to glycerol intoxication, which could cause hypoglycaemia, shock and loss of consciousness. Advertisement "The Food Standards Agency state that there are concerns about its acute effects on young children when consumed in large amounts over a short period, leaving them vulnerable to the symptoms listed above. "Whilst symptoms are usually mild, young children may suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol." According to the FSA, just one 350ml drink with the highest levels of glycerol could potentially cause a problem for a four-year-old. In youngsters aged five to ten, one and a half of these drinks can have dangerous effects, if consumed quickly. Advertisement 'Protect children' FSA board members previously conducted a risk assessment of slushy ice drinks in 2023, "which was based on average body weight" estimates for children. This time, the food watchdog took a more cautious approach, taking into account that some children might have a lower than average body weight for their age. "The assessment incorporated information from recent glycerol intoxication incidents and assessed the impact of one serving of slush ice drink (350ml with 50,000mg/L glycerol) on children with a lower-than-average body weight for their age," the FSA wrote. "As children's weights vary, body weight has been converted to age to provide more practical advice for parents and businesses." Advertisement The updated advice applies to ready-to-drink slush ice drinks with glycerol in pouches and home kits containing glycerol slush concentrates. The FSA advised businesses selling slushies to add the minimum amount of glycerol needed to achieve the desired texture. It also called on businesses to share how much glycerol was being added to drinks and foods. Prof Jebb said: "We expect industry to share data on the quantity of glycerol in their products to inform our future work. Advertisement "Meanwhile, there are immediate actions they can take that can help protect children and reduce the risk from these products. "For example, retailers should limit cup sizes and should not offer free refill promotions to children under 10." 6 Arla had a drink from a countertop Slush Puppie machine Credit: Supplied 6 The tot was rushed to hospital hours later Credit: Supplied Advertisement 6 Roxy Wallis, 36, with her sons, who became violently ill after having the frozen drinks Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media Arla Agnew, two, was left falling in and out of consciousness after enjoying the popular frozen treat at a neighbour's birthday party. Arla's gran, Stacey, 39, told "The doctor said to us if we had been another 20 minutes it could have been so different. We were absolutely devastated," the gran added. Advertisement Meanwhile, mum Roxy Wallis, 36, said her two sons "My middle child felt sick, dizzy, and incredibly pale. By the time we reached the ticket machine, he had vomited everywhere. "At this point, my oldest son looked pale and felt sick but wasn't as bad - he was a bit bigger than his brother.' Abbas shared advice for parents in the event that their child suffers a reaction after drinking a slushy. Advertisement "If you suspect intoxication from a slushie drink and your child is experiencing any symptoms, even if they are mild, seek immediate medical attention. "This is important so that your child can be assessed and any serious reactions can be ruled out."
