Bad news for the Corn Refiners Association and all lovers of cheaply made, syrup-laden food products: it seems as though more Americans are realizing that heavy food additives aren’t that healthy, especially additives that may increase the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and other long term health issues.
Thanks to the national push for healthy and active children and the government-sponsored fight against obesity, more adults and even children are now actively reading labels and avoiding one of the most common (and popular) food additives: high fructose corn syrup. Some food companies are responding as well, going out of their way to tout the absence of HFCS in their products. With a new study showing that HFCS consumption is at a 20-year low, the decrease in demand and outright rejection of HFCS may force reduced production and sales of refined corn products. Apparently, the producers and distributors of HFCS have finally gotten the message, and they have a plan: Hide!
The Corn Refiners Assn have released several ads promoting education about the healthiness of HFCS. This one (sorry, can't embed the video) paints HFCS as a natural, nonthreatening product. So why are producers currently attempting to repackage it as something different?
Everyone knows that HFCS is a main ingredient of most non-diet sodas and "fruit punch" drinks, but some may be surprised (I know I was) to find out that HFCS is added to some of the most common food items. Canned vegetables, cereals, and even whole wheat bread may contain HFCS. Why? What is the point, other than to sell overstocked product, for adding HFCS to any of these foods instead of cane sugar or other natural ingredients?
The answer: $$$$$. And overstocked product.
Corn production, or more accurately,overproduction, is the reason why corn syrup and HFCS has been so popular. Corn and corn-related products are cheap to produce and can extend the shelf life of processed foods; therefore, people (and animals) can be cheaply fed over longer periods of time. Unfortunately, companies are willing to produce inferior food for the sake of meeting high demands for cheap.
Since "high fructose corn syrup" is now a four-letter word, the Corn Refiners Association is petitioning the FDA to change the name of high fructose corn syrup to the shorter and less offensive "corn sugar." This actually is not a bad idea, in strategic marketing terms:
Sometimes, renaming a product can up its sales. When the name "canola oil" replaced "low eurcic acid rapeseed oil" sales went up, as did the sales of "prunes" when their name changed to "dried plums".
But it obviously does not address the fact that high amounts of HFCS are proven to be unhealthy (just as large amounts of sodium/MSG are.) Saturating any food with sugar or salt is unhealthy, so attempts by corn syrup producers to defend themselves against accusations of its dangers vs. that of cane suggar are moot. Consumers need to realize that too much of any kind of sugar disrupts the body’s ability to maintain healthy glucose levels and to naturally produce safe and normal levels of its own insulin. Once enough of the public internalizes these facts and actually cuts down on sugar intake and processed foods in general, the "corn sugar" pushers may be out of luck again.
This is an obvious marketing ploy, not a valid response to the fight against obesity. HFCS is about as necessary as trans-fat, but because the industry is still very lucrative and central to food production, it cannot afford to just make it go away. The solution: make the name go away. (After all, it’s the name of the stuff that is making generations of Americans obese and unhealthy, not the actual content, right?) "High" sounds "out of control." "Fructose?" Too science-y. "Syrup?" Just imagine a constant flow of Mrs. Butterworth pumping through your veins. Take away the scary name, and HFCS may survive for another decade or two.
So do not be fooled into believing that HFCS, even with all the health-driven controversy, is a thing of the past. That won't happen until there is significant change in the food industry and the federal standards of food production.
"Corn sugar" will continue to be what it always has been: gobs and gobs of sugar. Take it or leave it. I'll pass, if I can help it.
Edit: And once again, I wish that we could edit the poll options (this time for a spelling error in "subsidized." Oh well.)