Two US studies demonstrated trace amounts of mercury in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). For many years HFCS has been produced by using a caustic mercury-containing soda to separate the corn starch (which goes to make the syrup) from the corn kernel. Although many modern plants employ mercury-free technology, there are four US plants that still use mercury. A 2008 study looked at 55 popular branded (including Hershey’s, Quaker, Smucker’s and Kraft) foods and drinks where HFCS is the first or second highest labelled ingredient. Nearly one-third of them contained trace amounts of mercury. In 2007, then Senator Barack Obama brought forth legislation to make production facilities phase out mercury technology by 2012. Learn more about mercury toxicity.
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Tags: contamination, corn syrup, FDA, high fructose corn syrup, mercury, toxic
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:59 am
as a body builder and teacher I read and tried different diet techniques for contest training. When i stopped sugar and especially hfcs I dropped my body weight from 167 to 154 in 2 months.my abs are as ripped now as 20 years ago and I will be 71 this coming month.HFCS is just another word for POISON.MY clients from my gym have all noticed this same outcome when they follow my advice.thanks to this site we can share these bits of vital information. thanks joe madigan andover me.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Mercury in soda or mercury in juice as well. My weight is 340 lb. and believe it of not I don’t eat like that. Because of my knee I can hardly walk so I join the WMCA yesterday for a swimming class. Thank you for the tip on mercury,(HFCS). CONGRATULATION ON BEING IN SHAPE AT THAT AGE.
January 28th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I am glad Obama took some steps toward the corn syrup problem,but i would prefer it if he would stop all the food companies from putting corn syrup in everything we eat! It’s an unhealthy, un-necessary ingrediant and should not be in our diets at all!
It’s no wonder we are all over weight.
NJ Morrison
January 28th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
the sad thing is is hfcs is in nearly everything and especially things we are told are healthy for us, like frosted shredded wheat and even in iced tea. hfcs is rampant in food products marketed to kids as well. Everyone, especially parents need to take the time and read the list of ingredients and stay away from hfcs. from what i’ve been told besides mercury content it isnt even metabolized by your body is sugar is and is deposited right into your fat reserve areas. I’m no expert just a concerned and conscience mother. We need to demand high quality food ingredients. and yes that means paying the price for them as well.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Heard the same, drop the weight by eliminating as much hfc as you can. Shop the perimeter of the store, you will save money and lose weight. Fruits, veges, fresh meats, bakery (rye bread, limit quantities of bread)and dairy, no added hfc. Check your labels, you can usually find a product that doesn’t have them or better yet, make from scratch. Stir fry, saute’, bake your food. Good luck. Benher
January 28th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Before the problems with Cuba in the 1950’s most of the sugar that was used in commercial products was cane sugar which is better for the body. When we no longer traded with Cuba corn sugar became the answer to the cane sugar shortage. Corn is largely undigestable by the human body.It is best used by farmers to FATTEN their livestock..hello!
Governmental watchdogs (?!) say that small amounts of mercury are not harmful to the body. For argument’s sake lets say that a small amount of poison is OK. {!?!} Who out there has only 1tsp of Katchup a day or 3oz of pop or 1/4c of processed veggies?
Simple addition = slow but sure death by mercury poisoning.
Thanks for the info and forum!