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Corn industry battles HFCS misconceptions
The demand for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is falling as major food companies continue the trend of replacing the corn-derived sweetener with regular sugar. Industry analysts estimate sales of HFCS fell nine percent from 2007 to 2009, with further declines expected this year.
Arlington, Iowa farmer Tim Burrack, chairman of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, says HFCS is a vitally important market for corn growers, utilizing about 600 million bushels of corn each year.
“Nationwide, that’s worth four cents a bushel—and if you run that times the number of bushels we produce every year, that’s a 520 million dollar market for corn,” Burrack says. “It’s a major market for us. That’s why it’s so disheartening when we see the things taking place today—the slander and all the misinformation—that has no scientific backing at all concerning high-fructose corn syrup.”
AUDIO: Tim Burrack (6 min MP3)
Most scientists and dieticians agree that, from a nutritional standpoint, HFCS and sugar are exactly the same. Kim Galeaz is a registered dietician who serves as a consultant to the food, agriculture and beverage industries—including the Coca-Cola company.
“They are exactly the same number of calories. So, really, when you get down to it, if companies are choosing to change from high-fructose corn syrup to sugar to some other sweetener, it’s just a marketing ploy,” says Galeaz. “I personally believe it’s been very unfair that high-fructose corn syrup has been targeted as something unique and different that’s causing people to become overweight—when the current, credible science says that that’s not the case whatsoever.”
And, as Kelly Brunkhorst of the Nebraska Corn Board points out, sugar currently costs around 40 percent more than HFCS. Brunkhorst says the corn industry is trying to reverse the trend.
“We communicate with those that are pushing more of the trend versus the science,” he says. “We’re working with the Corn Refiners Association to get the true facts out there. We’ve done some letter campaigns. We just try to make sure that those that are not looking at the true science behind high-fructose corn syrup really take a look at it again.”
AUDIO: Kelly Brunkhorst (2 min MP3)
According to the New York Times Online, Hunt’s Ketchup is the latest product to make the switch. New bottles stamped with “No high fructose corn syrup” will start appearing on grocery shelves this month.
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