Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury
Wednesday, January 28, 2009; 12:00 AM

MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- 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, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods
such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups
and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per
day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent
more HFCS than average.

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

In the first study, published in current issue of Environmental
Health, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20
samples of commercial HFCS.

And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade
Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in
three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found
most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and
condiments.

But an organization representing the refiners is disputing the results
published in Environmental Health.

"This study appears to be based on outdated information of dubious
significance," said Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners
Association, in a statement. "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."

However, the IATP told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that four plants
in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia still use "mercury-cell"
technology that can lead to contamination.

IATP's Ben Lilliston also told HealthDay that the Environmental Health
findings were based on information gathered by the FDA in 2005.

And the group's own study, while not peer-reviewed, was based on
products "bought off the shelf in the autumn of 2008," Lilliston
added.

The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS
is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to
produce caustic soda.

"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 in his prepared statement.

More information

The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more about
mercury and health.

SOURCE: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, news release, Jan.
26, 2009