High Fructose Corn Syrup: Now with 33% More MERCURY

I am almost starting to feel sympathetic for the folks over at the Corn Refiners Association.

For years and years, we (the government) have been encouraging them to find new markets for their highly subsidized product. And boy oh boy, they have done a heck of a job.

Just look at all of the different products that are “hooked on corn”.

And how do we repay them for their ingenuity?

I’ll tell you how:

By bitching and complaining about HFCS and it’s links to obesity and depression and diabetes and high blood pressure and dementia and Alzheimer’s and coronary artery disease and anxiety and…..

What a bunch of spoiled babies!

It’s not like they found mercury in the HFCS.

Ooops

They just found mercury in the HFCS.

The Story

Study Finds High Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Wednesday, January 28, 2009; 12:00 AM

MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) — Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms.

Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered.

We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply,” the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.

And what do the “corn people” have to say in rebuttal?

MERCURY STUDY OUTDATED; BASED ON DISCONTINUED TECHNOLOGY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2009

CONTACT: Audrae Erickson, President
(202) 331-1634

WASHINGTON, DC – The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) today challenged the relevance and accuracy of information published by Environmental Health asserting that certain tests found measurable levels of mercury in high fructose corn syrup.

“This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance. Our industry has used mercury-free versions of the two re-agents mentioned in the study, hydrochloric acid and caustic soda, for several years. These mercury-free re-agents perform important functions, including adjusting pH balances,” stated Audrae Erickson, President, Corn Refiners Association. “For more than 150 years, corn wet millers have been perfecting the process of refining corn to make safe ingredients for the American food supply.”

“It is important that Americans are provided accurate, science-based information. They should know that high fructose corn syrup is safe,” continued Erickson. “In 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally listed high fructose corn syrup as safe for use in food and reaffirmed that decision in 1996.”

“High fructose corn syrup contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets FDA’s requirements for the use of the term ‘natural.” Erickson said.

Hmmmm

That seems odd.

The Washington Post tells the world that High Fructose Corn Syrup is loaded with toxic mercury and all the Corn Refiners Assn. can say in their defense is that “This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance“.

It APPEARS to be based on outdated information?

That doesn’t sound very positive, does it?

It’s almost as if they didn’t want to come right out and say that HFCS is 100% Mercury free.

Now, why wouldn’t they want to say that?

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