Chances are you’ve seen the warnings from our junk food companies about a possible sugar shortage that could make candy, donuts and other treats more expensive. And I wondered, since high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a cheap alternative, responsible for 1 in 10 calories consumed by the average American, if that might in turn require extra vigilence to avoid the stuff. Even without a shortage, here’s a new reason to take a pass: a report in Mother Jones says new research suggests some HFCS might be tainted with mercury.
Lye is used to make HFCS (makes you want to run out and ingest some immediately, doesn’t it?) and an FDA researcher wondered about the possibility of mercury contaminating lye at chemical plants.
The FDA and the Corn Refiners Association say there’s no need to worry. And to quote Mother Jones, “The corn-syrup industry claims that no HFCS manufacturers currently use mercury-grade lye, though it concedes some used to. (According to the EPA, four plants still use the technology.)”
But the Mother Jones piece makes a thought-provoking case, especially about imported products with HFCS produced elsewhere.
The full story is very much worth reading.
Related posts on From Scratch:
High-fructose Corn Syrup
High-fructose Corn Syrup: The Other Side
Bottled Ketchup Without Corn Syrup
