Did The Netherlands Sell Paracetamol-Infused Ice Cream? Here’s What We Know

Imagine if your favorite ice cream could also help you relieve a headache or fever. This bizarre concept made waves online months ago, with some posts suggesting that paracetamol-infused ice cream was being sold in the Netherlands, blending the joy of dessert with the benefits of medicine. But was this the perfect combination of guilty pleasure and healing, or just a wild rumor?

A Facebook post that went viral claimed, “Ice cream containing paracetamol (500 mg) was invented in the Netherlands. If you have a headache, instead of going to the drugstore, grab a bowl of ice cream.” Originally published in 2018, this post was shared over 66,000 times, making the idea of medicinal ice cream a hot topic.

The image that sparked this viral claim was later reviewed by fact-checkers, who traced it back to a Dutch patisserie called Maddy, located in Nagelkerke. The ice cream was initially created as a fun, experimental exhibit for a fair in Holland in 2016. It was never intended for sale, and the flavor was not meant for mass production. Health concerns led to the ice cream being removed from display.

While some reports suggested that the ice cream was a “hangover cure,” the official story is that it did not meet health regulations, as paracetamol needs careful dosage control. Despite some speculating it was an elaborate April Fool’s prank, there’s no evidence that anyone has actually tried this paracetamol-infused ice cream.

So, while the concept may sound tempting, it seems you shouldn’t plan your trip to the Netherlands around this strange dessert anytime soon.