What's In A Name: High Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Corn Sugar

By Jill Ettinger

Despite urgings from the FDA to the corn industry to discontinue using the term "corn sugar" in place of "high fructose corn syrup," at least two corn industry websites (cornsugar.com and sweetsurprise.com) are still using the term.

The switch to "corn sugar" is geared at dispelling the bad reputation high fructose corn syrup has due to its ubiquitous presence in sodas and junk foods, which have been linked to diabetes, obesity and a number of other health issues rampant in the U.S., where the average person consumes more than 40 pounds of high fructose corn syrup annually. Manufacturers have begun replacing HFCS with traditional cane sugar as consumer awareness on the issue increases.

The FDA director, Barbara Schneeman, sent a letter to the Corn Refiners Association in early July requesting that the trade group cease using the term "corn sugar" until a formal decision was made by the agency. Additionally, the term "corn sugar" already refers to the corn product dextrose, further confusing the issue, cites the FDA. As of this publication, the websites still use the term.

According to an email sent to the Associated Press from Audrae Erickson, spokeswoman for the Corn Refiners Association, "We do not believe that anyone could be confused or believe that the statements regarding 'corn sugar' on the websites refer to anything other than high fructose corn syrup."

But because the Corn Refiners Association is not selling any branded product, but rather promoting an industry, whether or not the FDA has any regulatory control is unclear, as the agency's role in regulations primarily oversees proper labeling of ingredients by manufacturers.

Producers of cane and beet sugars have filed lawsuits over the name "corn sugar," citing false advertising by the HFCS industry. The case is currently under review by a judge after the corn industry submitted a motion to dismiss.

Whether or not HFCS is more damaging than common sugar is unclear, as scientific opinions are divided on the issue. The American Medical Association says more research is needed to determine whether or not they would recommend that HFCS be restricted.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

 

Comments

[Reggie Corpus]

02:08 PM on 10/17/2011

The determination of how an FCS is regulated depends on its chemical composition. It is the responsibility of the FCS manufacturer to ensure that food contact materials comply with the specifications and limitations in all applicable authorizations.
Many companies want a written evaluation determining the regulatory status of their FCS product. Registrar Corp offers an FCS review. http://www.registrarcorp.com/fda-food/contact-substances/index.jsp

[rodjard]

11:33 AM on 10/02/2011

Take a look around the Thanksgiving Dinner Table
and see the faces who are not at least 90 and are
not there. Then ask which ones died because of
obesity or cardiovascular diseas Then look at all
the starches and sugars you are all shoveling in.
Is it worth it?

[rodjard]

10:38 AM on 10/02/2011

Corn is great for whole grain popcorn or maybe hominy.

Other than that it is good for animal food and oil to produce energy with.

[watch out world]

07:01 PM on 10/09/2011

And it's not even that good for animal food!! Animals should be living off grass primarily. This is why red meat is bad for you, its because it is fed GMO corn which makes for a sick animal, which makes for a sick product. Grass fed beef - the way nature intended- is good for you and full of omega 3's.

And corn for a fuel? It costs too much to produce it and makes more pollution.

[rodjard]

02:13 PM on 10/10/2011

Well then I guess it is about useless. Alphagraze and American Buffalo
nibbling under Cherry and Walnut trees under windmills or rye fields
producing grain that is good for you sounds like the ticket to me.

[rodjard]

10:06 AM on 10/02/2011

Sugar. Do not eat it. Problem solved.

Fast burning or refined or processed starches.
Do not eat them. Problem solved.

Anything that is not good for a person with Type 2 Diabetes
to eat is not good for anyone to eat. There are no exceptions.

Potato skins, not the starch in the middle is the only thing good about a potato

White flour is poison. The whole middle of a wheat grain is poison.
The brown shell is good for you.

Whole Rye or Spelt is very good for you.

Until the public stops being sugar and starch addicts and
takes control of their diet, we will keep being poisoned.

[richieroo]

04:33 PM on 10/01/2011

Another helpful piece along these lines...

Top 10 Hidden Food Dangers - do you really know what some of the ingredients in your favorite foods are...

http://www.angrytrainerfitness.com/2011/06/top-10-hidden-food-dangers/

[H P]

01:36 PM on 10/01/2011

high fructose corn syrup makes those companies a LOT of money, just like tobacco made RJR and others a LOT of money. Health of people? People don't matter to those type of people only short term profits, GREED. In the face of overwhelming evidence HFCS is BAD for the human body, like nicotine is BAD for the body these companies and their lobbing arms will continue to sell and put HFCS into products until people just stop buying them or it goes to court.. $ is all they see.

[joedas]

09:55 AM on 10/01/2011

But those websites should realize that sweetness is addictive. Sugar whatever you call it plays apart in bolstering the profits of manufacturers. Now most corn has been genetically modified which is unnatural and worse for the consumer.

[RichPort]

08:58 AM on 10/01/2011

The bipartisan corn lobby knows no party and is responsible for making Americans sick in a variety of ways. There is nothing wrong with corn or corn products, except when they're used as feed for animals that cannot digest them, ethanol that creates more greenhouse gasses in it's production than it saves when used as fuel, or processed to the point that the sugars are no longer digestible by humans... just because corn is natural doesn't mean every imagined use makes any sense...

[SteveC 1979]

12:02 PM on 10/03/2011

Kind of makes you wonder why corn is so heavily subsidized in this country... Personally I think it is b/c it is used as animal feed on factory farms, but that's just my opinion.

[RichPort]

01:55 PM on 10/03/2011

It's used in everything and is native to the Americas. It's relatively easy to grow and let's face it, there's only so much canned corn, corn on the cob, or tortillas we can consume, so they've come up with other ways that are "all natural" to use it. "Cochineal and carmine" are commonly used as red food coloring and they are produced from crushed beetles. I know, yuck. But beetles are technically all natural so it's all good, right? (barf)

[pisedoff]

08:25 AM on 10/01/2011

By using corn sugar they are counting on the dumbing down of America. We now produce an unthinking, illiterate, and unskilled HS graduate now and with the cuts to education at the state level, especially in TGOP controlled states, we will produce the dumbest publicly educated students in the world. The plan is to create a ruling class of the rich and they, the chosen ones, who have the money to educate their children, will rule. effectively turning the US into a third world country.

[ljb860ljb]

12:07 PM on 10/01/2011

"effectivel­y turning the US into a third world country", sorry, already is.

[WindyD]

05:04 PM on 10/02/2011

To pisedoff: You are so right. As a teacher, I can assure you that the government wants unquestioning consumers and fast food addicts.

I can report that most of the food the children eat at school is highly processed and full of chemicals like high fructose corn syrup, nitrates/nitrites, hydrogenated oils, sugars (of every kind and process), lots of fat and processed carbs, artificial colors/flavors, preservatives, high amounts of salt, a few added artificial vitamins, hormone/HFCS laced milk/milk products and very poor nutrition. Some schools have added a fresh fruit as a choice--but very few children choose those over the addictive processed foods. Some do get the apple/orange to throw in the cafeteria.

The American children are in a lot of trouble because they are forming lifelong addictions to fast foods.

The kids must be made aware of what is happening to them. I do my best to inform, but the fast food is an extremely powerful addictive force. If parents would only wake up and see what is happening in the schools--and go to the school board meetings and make themselves known. Howevever, they out eating with their children the third fast food meal of the day.

Do you really think that Audrae Erickson and the corn refiners personally consume that artificial red drink from the corn commercials, and give it to their children?

We need to love our children enough to give them real food.