Our Melamine: There's Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup, and the FDA Has Known for Years (HuffPost

[eppur_se_muova]

Leslie Hatfield
Posted February 27, 2009 | 05:12 AM (EST)

***
Of course, I wouldn't want to show my hand either, if the making of my product could be described as the undertaking of a "small Manhattan Project" (see eye-glazing production info here). But as it turns out, the HFCS industry has been hiding some major skeletons in its closet -- according to the IATP study (pdf), over 30% of products containing the substance tested positive for mercury.

What makes this news truly shocking is not just that the manufacturers of high fructose corn syrup would put consumers' health at risk, but that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) knew about the mercury in the syrup, and has been sitting on this information since 2005.

Here's the connection, according to the IATP press release (pdf): The IATP study comes on the heels of another study, conducted in 2005 but only recently published by the scientific journal, Environmental Health, which revealed that nearly 50 percent of commercial HFCS samples tested positive for the heavy metal. Renee Dufault, who was working for the FDA at the time, was among the 2005 study's authors. In spite of Dufault's involvement in the study, the FDA sat silent on this one for three years, and in fact last August, allowed manufacturers to call the sweetener "natural."

Here's how the mercury gets in there, according to Janet at the Ethicurean:

How did the heavy metal get in there? In making HFCS -- that "natural" sweetener, as the Corn Refiners Associaton likes to call it -- caustic soda is one ingredient used to separate corn starch from the corn kernel. Apparently most caustic soda for years has been produced in industrial chlorine (chlor-alkali) plants, where it can be contaminated with mercury that it passes on to the HFCS, and then to consumers.

And more from the press release:

"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."
And on why this matters:

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more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-hatfield/our-melamine-theres-mercu_b_161334.html




(I'm pretty sure this has been posted before. I came across it again while googling info on HFCS.)

ON EDIT: There are active links in the OP, for more background.

FWIW, my understanding was that the use of mercury electrodes for cloralkali production was being phased out in favor of newer technologies. In fact, there are several old mercury-cell plants still operating -- see this exchange of letters: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/2/comments

Note that then-Senator Obama is cited for his efforts to ban the continued use of mercury cells in the chloralkali industy.

[abelenkpe2]

1. That sounds like a good reason to use the juicer

Gotta find some combos the kids will drink and serve that rather than anything from the store I guess.

Thanks for posting that!

[MADem]

2. They have stuff in the store that is nothing but juice. No additives. nt

[corpseratemedia]

3. thanks for posting this

and good for Obama for trying to ban the this type of processing.

I've got to check and find out about the side effects of low-dose long term mercury poisoning..wow

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. People who make these decisions, should be locked up in solitary

for life.

[troubledamerican]

5. I banned corn products entirely from my diet 2 months ago. Have lost 12 lbs.

[abelenkpe2]

6. Good job!

Now I'm extra motivated to rid our diet of that stuff. Thanks!