Could too much licorice be dangerous?

There may be health complications from consuming too much licorice, at least for children, according to the New York Daily News. The source reported on the case of a young 10-year-old Italian boy who had been consuming licorice for four months straight at a rate of more than 20 pieces of licorice a day. As a result, he suffered several different related medical conditions, including high blood pressure, seizures and stained teeth.

The story, which originated in an article in the medical journal Pediatric Neurology, says that the boy’s doctors advised him to stop eating licorice immediately, which has reportedly already had a beneficial effect on the boy’s health.

This case study could affect the candy industry and information listed on candy labels. Manufacturing Business Technology reports that the researchers involved are advocating for a set of limits for licorice serving sizes to avoid similar situations.

High levels of glycyrrhizic acid present in licorice products make it potentially dangerous, especially to young consumers with a low body weight. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum of 2 mg/kg of glycyrrhizic acid consumption per day, and the boy was ingesting 2.88 mg/kg, according to a press release from Pediatric Neurology.

Product label printing can help solve labeling problems in addition to making the process more efficient and easier to manage. Candy makers can work to produce labels that fit around the entire candy package and include recommended serving size and other important nutritional information that is accurate and compliant with regulations.

New discoveries can establish different label priorities for manufacturers, and make it necessary to print additional information for the consumer’s benefit. It helps producers to have a high quality printer to meet changing specific label needs and still advertise the contents of a product effectively.