The Great Corn Syrup Caper

If you've watched any TV in the past 6 months, you've probably seen the ludicrous ads put out by the Corn Refiners Association. If not, give the attached example a whirl so you can be properly indignant about what I'm going to tell you next.

On Monday, January 26, the scientific journal Environmental Health published the results of two (not one, but TWO) studies conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. The study tested high fructose corn syrup and found that "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."

"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," said the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies.

That's right folks, we no longer have the luxury of being poisoned only by salmon and peanut butter. Now, literally hundreds, even thousands, of the prepared products we unfortunately consume every day are silently poisioning us as well.

Of course a rubuttal was immediately posted on the Corn Refiners Association's official campaign website.

"This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious significance.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."

Somehow, I highly doubt that an "Open Access, peer-reviewed, on-line journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of environmental and occupational medicine, and related studies in toxicology and epidemiology" would risk it's reputation by publishing an article with "outdated" and "dubious" information. Of course, it's happened before, but I'm skeptical.

According to an article in the Washington Post, "in the second study, the agriculture group [IATP] found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was most common in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments."

And the real sucker punch of it all? "The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients," Wallinga said.

This is why environmentalists support local, sustainable, ORGANIC agriculture. This is why we urge you to grow your own food. This is why we oppose genetically modified foods and the big, untouchable corporations that are sneakily poisoning the earth, the water and OUR CHILDREN by producing these foods. It's because such atrocities are committed with no thought of the health and well being of the American people, and because these corporations are encouraged to behave in this manner by government subsidies and by YOU when you buy these products. Remember: you are what you eat!