High-fructose corn syrup has taken our food shelves by storm. It is present in many
different types of bread, cereals, breakfast bars, yogurts, soups and sugary beverages. It
is estimated that, on a typical day, an American consumes an average of 12 teaspoons of
such syrup. Further, teenagers and others with high consumption may even be taking in up
to 80% more than average. Recently, two separate studies, one published in the journal Environmental
Health and the other conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
(IATP), have revealed a further danger of high-fructose corn syrup,
having found that it may contain mercury.
Environmental Health Study
In the report of the first study, it was noted that mercury cell chlor-alkali products are
used to make many food ingredients;
these include citrus acid, sodium benzoate, as well as high-fructose corn syrup. The latter, referred to
as HFCS for short, is used to sweeten and stabilize food products and lengthen their
shelf lives.
In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency had reported that an average of about 7 tons
of mercury from each of the then 8 mercury cell chlor-alkali plants located in the US were
unaccounted for in 2000. All that mercury must have gone somewhere, and, with it being
such a dangerous neurotoxin, that was a dangerous statistic implying additional exposure
for humans and the environment.
Of particular concern is exposure for children and other sensitive segments of the
population.
An Environmental Health Officer (EHO) thus conducted an investigation in 2004, which
revealed that both mercury grade and membrane grade caustic soda were used by the industry to
manufacture HFCS. Another chemical used was hydrochloric acid. Since mercury grade chemicals were used in the
manufacturing process of HFCS, it was likely that mercury could be found in the final
product, too.
The EHO dug deeper, collecting HFCS samples from 3 manufacturers and then analyzing them
for total mercury content. In almost half of the samples, or 9 out of 20, mercury levels
above the detection limit of 0.005 micrograms of mercury per gram of HFCS was found. The
maximum level detected was 0.570 ìg mercury/g HFCS in one sample. The samples were
collected from 17 to 24 February, 2005.
IATP Study
For the IATP study, the researchers had tested 55 popular brand-name food products and
detected mercury in 17 of them (see WebMD link below for a list of the affected products).
The 55 products had been chosen based on the fact that HFCS was the number one or two
labeled ingredient; such labeling indicates that HFCS was the highest or second highest
ingredient in the product, according to weight. The worst hit products were dairy
products, followed by dressings and condiments.
"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 FDA to help stop this avoidable
mercury contamination of the food supply," said David Wallinga, MD, from the IATP,
who was involved in both the said studies.
It should be noted that a "snap-shot" sample of the products was obtained, which
would not conclusively prove that these products were always or often contaminated.
Reactions
In both studies, the form of mercury detected was not stated. According to Carl Winter, a
toxicologist who also directs the FoodSafe Program at the University of California, Davis,
there is little to worry about. "I would imagine that a good majority of the mercury
that is detected would have been in the form of elemental mercury," he said.
According to him, methylmercury is "by far the most toxic form of mercury", as
the body absorbs it better than other forms of the metal.
"We have a principle in toxicology, which is the dose makes the poison. It's the
amount of a chemical, not its presence or absence, that determines the potential for harm,
and frankly, I don't see based on their findings that they've made much of a case that
this is something that consumers need to worry about," he also said.
WebMD contacted the food manufacturers and, not surprisingly, they insisted their products
are safe. Audrae Erickson, the president of the Corn Refiners Association, also criticized
the Environmental Health study. "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" she stated.
The problem, though, according to Wallinga, is that while about 90% of HFCS production in
the US now does not use mercury, it is possible that companies are obtaining their HFCS
supplies from overseas. And much of European production may not be mercury-free. Further,
the IATP study had found mercury in food products taken off the shelves in 2008.
Erickson, however, did not comment on that study.
In any case, whether or not US manufacturers are using mercury-tainted substances is not
the most important point. Either way, mercury poisoning via HFCS is still be taking place
on a global level, which cannot be good
news.
Conclusion
"For me, the take-home message is really that this is a totally avoidable,
unnecessary exposure to mercury. We've got a safer, more efficient technology for making
these chemicals that are part of the ingredients used to manufacture high-fructose corn syrup," said Wallinga. "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," he also said.
With mercury being such a dangerous toxin, in particular for children - the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommended that minimizing mercury exposure is essential for
optimal child health because the
metal can affect many aspects of development, in particular brain maturation - the
information uncovered by the two studies is important for consumers to take note of.
In any case, notwithstanding the presence of mercury, high-fructose corn syrup is
detrimental to health in other ways, and its consumption is best minimized or avoided
altogether.
References
Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar (www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/2)
Much High Fructose Corn Syrup Contaminated With Mercury, New Study Finds (www.iatp.org/iatp/press.cfm?refID=1...)
Mercury in High-Fructose Corn Syrup? (www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/200...)
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