Gross: Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup?

on January 30, 2009 at 11:10 AM

mercury, thermometer I'm sure you were just as grossed out as I was.

Earlier this week, it was all over the news that many common foods with the ingredient high fructose corn syrup contain mercury.

After the salmonella peanut butter scandal, I have more faith in my ability to balance my checkbook than I do in our food industry. I mean--and I know this is sacrilegious--I give my kids Sprite sometimes. Main ingredient? High fructose corn syrup. Almost all snack foods, drinks and God-knows-what-else contain it.

I'm sick to my stomach to think I might be feeding them that silver stuff inside of an old-fashioned thermometer. You know, the non-digital kind that our parents used to stick up our butts.

According to FoxNews: Food processors and the corn syrup industry group attacked the findings as flawed and outdated, but the researchers said it was important for people to know about any potential sources of the toxic metal in their food.

But to me, the researchers seem solid. They are former Food and Drug Administration scientist Renee Dufault and her colleagues. They tested 20 samples of high fructose corn syrup and found detectable mercury in nine of the 20 samples in everything from jam to juice to yogurt.

Even a small amount of it can be unhealthy states USNews. "Mercury is toxic in all its forms,” said IATP’s David Wallinga, M.D., and a co-author in both studies. “Given how much high fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the FDA to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply."

CafeMoms were outraged this week in many groups, especially the private one Autism, Mercury Poisoning and Everything In Between. And check out Cafe Kierna's post about high fructose corn syrup in Big Kid Buzz.

I think we'll here more about this story. Milk killed people in China. Peanut butter claimed lives in the United States. How are you feeling? Do you trust the food industry right now?

Filed Under: eating healthy, energy & fatigue, illness, in the news, products

Comments (11)

jsmjboertlein

on Jan 30, 2009 at 11:34 AM

It doesn't gross me out because I don't ever allow my children anything with HFCS in it. I also dont find it surprising at all. It is chemically altered after all. We eat organic

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Tnamari

on Jan 30, 2009 at 11:41 AM

I just checked some of my labels-we are out of jelly, but our juice and yogurt are fine, but we have some juice boxs w/ HFCS and our syrup did also....What are they going to do now? Are they going to stop or just buisness as usual?

Thanks for posting this-I HAD NO IDEA!!!!!

LokisMama

on Jan 30, 2009 at 11:51 AM

I swear I think they're doing it on purpose to reduce the population....it's just that the samonella in the peanut butter wasn't killing enough people....

It dosn't gross me out but it's kinda scary.

paxtynmaraya

on Jan 30, 2009 at 11:52 AM

wow CRAZY!

3rdtymsthecharm

on Jan 30, 2009 at 2:17 PM

and yet people inject thier kids with it at well baby check ups. hmmmm

DawnA72

on Jan 30, 2009 at 2:51 PM

Gross? That's what you have to say about Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup? I think scary is more appropriate.

But then again, mercury is in vaccines too, and people seem to think that is ok. Personally, I don't vax, we don't consume High Fructose Corn Syrup either.

LokisMama, I think you are right. I think they are trying to reduce or control the population by putting poisons/toxins into various products the general public consumes.

Some people will think I sound like a crazy person, so be it. I'm comfortable with the decisions I am making for my family and so far I have 3 healthy children: no allergies, no ailments of ANY kind, no behavior/learning disorders, nothing. And my children rarely get sick.

My advice to Moms: Go Green! Go Organic! Go Homemade! It is unatural and unsafe to eat a great majority of the foods that the average American consumer is putting in their grocery cart.

marsha78

I hadn't heard this but I'm glad you posted it! Just crazy! We don't buy foods with HFCS and I ask my sons' teachers at daycare to not give them anything with it either.

girl_in_the_D

on Jan 30, 2009 at 4:34 PM

more reason to switch to organic and home made...this scares me to death and i am ready to throw in the towel and take it old school and make all my own stuff

littlejreece

on Jan 31, 2009 at 1:47 AM

Despite the Corn lobby's loud attempts at insisting that HFCS is "natural" it is NOT. Several chemicals are required to make high-fructose corn syrup, including caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, alpha-amylase, gluco-amylase, isomerase, powdered carbon, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. (source:Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy) It is extremely frustrating that so many foods are made with HFCS. I am a chronic label reader, and it makes me angry that some families are priced out of buying healthier foods because they simply cannot afford food items that do not have chemicals like HFCS in them. Thank you for sharing this article, it reinforces my dedication to eating better and teaching my daughter to eat as healthy as possible.

RanaAurora

on Jan 31, 2009 at 2:37 AM

littlejreece, that's what kills me too. I mean, try to get peanut butter that doesn't have this crap. A jar of Jiffy is a buck. A jar of ACTUAL peanut butter that's good for you is about $5.

Then the horrid commercials that imply that anyone who says that HFCS is bad for you is uninformed and stupid... grr. THOSE can make it on the air, but a pro-breastfeeding campaign can't? This country has PROBLEMS.