Glycerol in food: The health-based guidance value applies not only to slush ice, but also to solid foods
What it's about:
- Glycerol (also: glycerin) is a sweet-tasting, colourless liquid found in vegetable and animal oils and fats. The substance is authorised for use in food as food additive E 422, though not as a sweetener. It can be used, for example, in flavoured drinks such as slush ice, as well as in solid foodstuffs such as baked goods. No maximum limit has been set; as much glycerol may be used as is necessary (‘quantum satis’).
- Glycerol can also be used in medicine, e.g. to reduce elevated intracranial pressure.
- In 2025, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) investigated whether the intake of glycerol via slush ice drinks is associated with health risks. The External Link:assessment found that, given the average glycerol content in slush ice measured at the time by the food monitoring authorities, even a small portion of slush ice could cause younger children to take up an amount of glycerol at which an effect on intracranial pressure had been observed in medical applications.
- In March 2026, the External Link:European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) derived an acute reference dose (ARfD) for a single consumption of a glycerol-containing drink. This specifies how much glycerol can be ingested without any appreciable health risk. The value of 125 milligrams (mgshort formilligram) of glycerol per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) of body weight determined by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority is consistent with the BfR’s risk assessment.
- In this opinion, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment addresses whether the conclusions of both assessments also apply when glycerol is ingested via solid foods. Ideally, this should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. However, from the BfR’s perspective, taking into account a human study by Nicolaiew et al.short foret alii (lat. "and others") (1995) and in the absence of corresponding experimental human data on the specific food matrix in question, it is justified to assume that glycerol from solid foods is not absorbed more slowly than from slush ice drinks or other beverages. It can therefore be assumed that the effects in the body are similar.
- Accordingly, from the BfR’s perspective, the acute reference dose (ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose) (125 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight) derived by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority in the course of the assessment of the use of glycerol in beverages and the lowest therapeutically effective dose (250 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight) previously identified by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in the course of its assessment of the use of glycerol in slush ice drinks are, in principle, also applicable to an assessment of the use of glycerol in solid foods, including fine bakery wares (see External Link:BfR opinion on glycerol of 18 February 2025).
1 Subject of the assessment In the context of recent food monitoring, high levels of glycerol have been detected in foods other than slush ice drinks—for example, in fine bakery wares (packaged goods). In this opinion, the German Federal Institute for Ris
In the context of recent food monitoring, high levels of glycerol have been detected in foods other than slush ice drinks—for example, in fine bakery wares (packaged goods).
In this opinion, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) has assessed whether the acute reference dose (ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose) for glycerol derived by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority in the course of its assessment of glycerol use in beverages, and the lowest therapeutically effective dose previously identified by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment during its assessment of glycerol use in slush ice drinks, are also applicable to the use of glycerol in solid foods such as fine bakery wares.
2 Results
In the BfR’s view, the acute reference dose (ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose) of 125 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight for a single consumption event (derived by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority during the assessment of glycerol use in beverages) and the lowest therapeutically effective dose of 250 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight (previously identified by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment during the assessment of glycerol use in slush ice drinks) are, in principle, also applicable to the assessment of glycerol use in solid foods, including fine bakery wares.
3 Rationale
In a human study performed by Nicolaiew et al.short foret alii (lat. "and others") (1995) on the effects of acute oral administration of glycerol, either alone or in combination with a standardized meal, on postprandial blood levels of lipids, free fatty acids, HDL cholesterol, and retinyl palmitate in healthy subjects, the glycerol absorption was also examined. For this purpose, three tests were conducted with ten healthy subjects (five female, aged 23–52 years, BMI 17.72–22.64; and five male, aged 20–56 years, BMI 19.11–24.76) at intervals of at least one week. In the first test, subjects were administered 20 g of glycerol orally after an overnight fast. In the second test, subjects received a meal (consisting of 15–20% protein, 45–55% lipid, and 30–40% carbohydrate) providing 32 g of lipid per m² of body surface area. The meal consisted of coffee, milk, cheese, bread, bacon, margarine, and fruits, and had an energy content of 800–1000 kcal. In the third test, subjects received 20 g of glycerol in combination with the meal. Based on the individual body weights, the glycerol dose in the first and third tests ranged from 244 to 417 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight, respectively. Blood samples were collected prior to administration (time 0) and subsequently at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 minutes, and at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 7 hours. The subjects were then allowed to eat a normal dinner, and following an overnight fast, a further blood sample was taken 24 hours after administration. Blood glycerol concentrations were determined using an enzymatic method.
In this study, the maximum blood glycerol concentration was reached slightly earlier and was slightly higher when glycerol was administered in combination with the meal than when it was administered without the meal. Administration of glycerol with the meal resulted in the maximum blood glycerol concentration being reached after 16 minutes, whereas administration without the meal resulted in the maximum concentration being reached after 38 minutes. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The subsequent decline in glycerol concentration occurred slightly more rapidly following administration with the meal than without it. Accordingly, the area under the concentration-time curve was slightly smaller when glycerol was administered with the meal compared to administration without the meal. The meal alone (without glycerol) did not result in an increase in blood glycerol concentration.
In this study, therefore, glycerol was absorbed into the blood slightly faster when administered with a meal than without one. This phenomenon may be considered as a matrix effect. It is conceivable that a different food matrix might result in the opposite effect—slowing absorption into the bloodstream—or have no effect at all. Whether a matrix effect plays a role must be assessed on a case-by-case basis (SKLM 2006).
For the health assessment of potential effects following acute exposureExposureTo glossary, the maximum blood concentration and the time to reach it are more relevant than the area under the concentration-time curve.
Taking into account the results of the study by Nicolaiew et al.short foret alii (lat. "and others") (1995) and in the absence of corresponding experimental human data for the specific food matrix in question, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment takes the view that it is reasonable to assume that glycerol from solid foods is not absorbed more slowly than glycerol from slush ice drinks or other beverages. Consequently, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment considers the acute reference dose (ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose) of 125 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight for a single consumption event —derived by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority during its assessment of glycerol use in beverages (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority 2026)— and the lowest therapeutically effective dose of 250 mgshort formilligram/kgshort forkilogram body weight —previously identified by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment during its assessment of glycerol use in slush-ice drinks (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment 2025)— to be applicable to the use of glycerol in solid foods as well.
In its Communication 035/2026 of 26 June 2026 (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment 2026), the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment pointed out that the ARfDshort forAcute Reference Dose derived by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority is consistent with the risk assessment previously conducted by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
4 References
BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (2025) Glycerol in slush ice drinks can cause undesirable health effects. Opinion No. 004/2025.
External Link:https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/opinions/glycerin-in-slush-ice-getraenken-kann-unerwuenschte-gesundheitliche-wirkungen-hervorrufen/
BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (2026) Ice-cold and brightly coloured: slush ice drinks containing glycerol may have adverse health effects. Communication No. 035/2026.
External Link:https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/notification/ice-cold-and-brightly-coloured-slush-ice-drinks-containing-glycerol-may-have-adverse-health-effects/
EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority (2026) Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF). Safety of acute exposure to the food additive glycerol (E 422) from beverages.
External Link:https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10057
Nicolaiew N, Cavallero E, Gandjini H, Dolé E, Koziet J, Gambert P, Francois A, Jacotot B (1995) Effect of acute glycerol administration with or without a mixed meal in humans. Ann Nutr Metab 39, 71-84.
SKLM (2006) DFG – Senate Commission on Food Safety. Natural Constituents of Foods: Assessing the toxicity of substances administered as pure compounds compared to their ingestion as inherent food components
External Link:https://www.dfg.de/resource/blob/169012/sklm-natinh-en-05092006.pdf
Further information on glycerol on the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment website
- FAQ: Slush ice drinks with glycerol: refreshments with potential undesired health effects Go to FAQ
- BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Opinion: Glycerol in slush ice drinks can cause undesirable health effects. Go to opinion
- Communication: Ice-cold and brightly coloured: slush ice drinks containing glycerol may have adverse health effects. Go to communication