A new article published in the scientific journal, Environmental Health, found that in tested samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) nearly 50% of the samples contained mercury. In another study by the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, mercury was found in 1/3 of the 55 popular brand named food and beverages that listed HFCS in the first or second ingredient - including products from Quaker, Hershey's, Kraft and Smucker's.
The increase of HFCS used in food products has hugely increased in the past decade or two. It's a cheap replacement for sugar in many processed foods and can be found in soda, bread, sweetened cereals, processed meats, yogurts, soups, condiments, sweetened juice drinks, cocoa mixes and more.
Studies show that an average American consumes about 12 tsp a day of HFCS. Teenagers average can consume upt o 80% more.
“Mercury is toxic in all its forms,” said David Wallinga, M.D., and a co-author in both studies. “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 FDA to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply."
While the FDA had evidence that commercial HFCS was contaminated with mercury four years ago, the agency did not inform consumers, help change industry practice or conduct additional testing.
To read the Environmental Health article go to: www.ehjournal.net.
To read “Not So Sweet: Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup,” go to: www.iatp.org or download the report in PDF form here: www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refID=105026
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3 comments:
Products contain high fructose corn syrup because it's cheaper than sugar; corn farmers are subsidized and sugar imports are severely restricted.
It's the same reason we can't get sugar ethanol for our cars, even though it contains up to eight times as much energy as grain ethanol and is economically feasible without government subsidies.
Sorry for getting off topic.
Considering how many countries HFCS is banned in, it's amazing that it is still used in this country -- plus they just started a huge marketing campaign to sell people on the fact that it's "just as safe as sugar"! Not!
Even before the mercury information came out, I had started weaning my family off of things that contain HFCS. It's linked to a host of health problems, including weight gain, heart disease and diabetes -- three big problems for the American people! People wonder why so many Americans are overweight and unhealthy - I think a big part of that is our use of HFCS.
Bad stuff all the way around. Perhaps with this news, the government will start regulating it, and finding ways to get farmers raising sugar instead of corn. Surely there are places in the U.S. where it's possible to do so?
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