Eat My Florida

Big Corn Is Watching

January 21st, 2008 by Brian Ries in Food Sources, Health, Worst Of

After writing about Michael Pollan’s new book last week, I received an email from your friends at the Corn Refiners Association. Nice to know that they’re examining local media for stories that might cast aspersions on nutritious and wholesome high fructose corn syrup.

Here’s the letter:

Dear Editor:
The January 16 article “Chew on this,” may mislead consumers about high fructose corn syrup.
New research continues to confirm that high fructose corn syrup is safe and no different from other common sweeteners like sugar and honey.
High fructose corn syrup is a natural sweetener and has the same number of calories as sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup “Generally Recognized as Safe” status for use in food, and reaffirmed that ruling in 1996 after thorough review.
High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits, too. It keeps foods fresh. It enhances fruit and spice flavors. It retains moisture in bran cereals and helps keep breakfast bars moist.
Consumers can see the latest research and learn more at www.HFCSfacts.com.

Audrae Erickson
President
Corn Refiners Association
1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202)-331-1634

(Thanks to nataliedee.com for the image.)

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2 Responses to “Big Corn Is Watching”

1. Wayne Garcia Says:
   January 21st, 2008 at 4:47 pm

   That’s funny, because a while back on my blog, when I made an offhand comment about “Big Coal,” I got a spate of comments from someone who turned out to be part of Big Coal’s spin operation. So it is clear that Big Whatever is watching everyone on the Internet.

   I am aware of at least two studies that show that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) MAY be linked to our epidemic of obesity (Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity; George A Bray, Samara Joy Nielsen, and Barry M Popkin; Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:537–43.) and incidence rates of Type 2 diabetes (Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Weight Gain, and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Young and Middle-Aged Women; Matthias B. Schulze, DrPH; JoAnn E. Manson, MD; David S. Ludwig, MD; Graham A. Colditz, MD; Meir J. Stampfer, MD; Walter C. Willett, MD; Frank B. Hu, MD; JAMA. 2004;292:927-934.) and both are widely cited and accepted studies, although not definitive or conclusive by any means whatsoever. Both use the word “may” and are written accordingly.

   Big Corn points to “exoneration” in studies that it paid for itself; case in point is a 2007 University of Maryland study that concluded there is not enough evidence to prove that HFCS is to blame for us being porked up. (University of Maryland, College Park (2007, July 30). Not Enough Evidence To Indict High Fructose Corn Syrup In Obesity. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 21, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/07/070727172644.htm) Only problem is that the UM study was paid for by — ta-da — Tate and Lyle, one of the world’s largest refiners of HFCS.

   Suddenly I am overcome with an urge for a great big bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal …

2. Brian Ries Says:
   January 21st, 2008 at 9:09 pm

   Thanks for the battery of scientific studies, Wayne. Here’s a great sum up of why it’s bad for you from the San Fran Chronicle a couple of years ago — http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL