According to a report made by Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, high fructose corn syrup is often contaminated with mercury. The one study found that over 1/3 of tested name brand products, like Coca-Cola Classic, Smuckers Strawberry Jelly, and Quaker Oatmeal, all had mercury in it. Check out the table here.
How would mercury get into the high fructose corn syrup?
Huge chlorine (chlor-alkali) plants using mercury cells produce “mercury-grade” caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and other chemicals which are, in turn, used to produce thousands of other products, including food ingredients such as citric acid, sodium benzoate and HFCS.2 The mercury in these plants can contaminate their chemical products, as well as the broader environment.
To make high fructose corn syrup, caustic soda and hydrochloric acid are used to separate corn starch from the corn kernel, as well as to adjust the pH of the process. The HFCS industry, according to Vulcan Chemical Company, former operator of one of these plants, is a primary user of “mercury-grade” caustic soda and hydrochloric acid.
What should be the next steps for government and industry?
-Congress can act immediately to pass legislation that will phase out mercury cell technology in U.S. chlorine plants. However, this will not address any HFCS made from mercury-grade caustic soda manufactured in overseas chlorine plants.
-Corn refiners can immediately act to produce HFCS using ingredients that did not come from mercury cell plants. Food manufacturers can choose to buy HFCS only made using caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and other food ingredients that are mercury-free.
-The FDA should begin testing all the commercial grade HFCS used in producing foods or beverages sold in the U.S. for mercury. Those findings should be made public.
-Avoid foods that have high fructose corn syrup.
Check out the table here.
Sign the petition to let Congress know that we care about our food and about the high fructose corn syrup in it.
http://www.petitiononline.com/HFCS/petition.html
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