So I don't think many of us were too surprised when the Corn Refiners Association, the lobbying group and manufacturing association that represents makers of high-fructose corn syrup - - noting sales are at a 20 year low -- decided to fight back in an extraordinary way. If consumers like myself put back say ketchup if the item has HFCS then, don't list it. Fraud? No not really. Earlier this week the AP reported that the association has petitioned the FDA for permission to identify high-fructose corn syrup on food packaging as corn sugar.One could say this is brilliant - - Business Insider says the re-branding is shear genius - - or that the corporate morals of the nation's major bankers have wafted over to the farmers and the food manufacturers. Never mind obese American kids, the billion dollar diet industry and a broken health care system over-burdened with chronic victims of diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. The bottom line for a tiny minority is all that matters.
For anyone interested in the science, high fructose corn syrup is a blend of glucose and fructose. But for anyone who took a biology or O-chem course, you know sucrose "the good sugar" is also glucose and fructose. The thing is, in the latter. the mix is 50-50. Not so for HFCS ... it's usually 58-42 with additional additives.
Studies indicate the body metabolizes HFCS differently from table sugar in a way that increases the risk of diabetes, liver disease, and obesity. In an article on sixwise.com it was revealed that researchers from the University of California, Davis compared glucose and fructose consumption among 32 overweight or obese people and found they resulted in very different health changes.Read more.
To read more about the debate and the bigger issue of agribusiness, and corn farm subsidies go to Care2's website and read a few articles then take their High Fructose Corn Syrup Challenge.
