Fructose Identity

"High-fructose corn syrup is a case of mistaken identity," says Audrae Erickson of the Corn Refiners Association in a New York Times piece by Melanie Warner (5/2/10). "We’re really focused on trying to correct the record since a lot of information consumers have is incorrect," she says. That information is centered on the belief that high-fructose corn syrup is somehow more fattening than an equal dose of sugar. The science actually supports Audrae’s position.

There is a Princeton University study that "found that rats that gulped lots of drinks with high-fructose corn syrup gained more weight than those that had sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same." But the scientific evidence is that both sugar and corn syrup "are made up of roughly equal amounts of glucose and fructose" and have the same effect on weight gain. Even Marion Nestle agrees.

That hasn’t stopped consumers from starting an anti-syrup protest page on Facebook (link) and complaining enough to Hunt’s to get the ketchup brand to switch from syrup to sugar. Even though sugar is more expensive, Hunt’s figures the switch will result a sales boost. Audrae is responding to all of this by asking the F.D.A. to permit a name change simply to "corn syrup" as well as a marketing campaign. This may be a losing battle in America, but fortunately for Audrae, consumption of the cheaper corn syrup is "up by a whopping 50 percent" in Mexico, offsetting American declines.