via Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury – washingtonpost.com.
Monday, January 26, 2009; 12:00 AM
This certainly deserves a second look. It appears that we are being poisoned without our knowledge.
MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) — Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.
HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.
The use of mercury-contaminated caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common. The contamination occurs when mercury cells are used to produce caustic soda.
“The bad news is that nobody knows whether or not their soda or snack food contains HFCS made from ingredients like caustic soda contaminated with mercury. The good news is that mercury-free HFCS ingredients exist. Food companies just need a good push to only use those ingredients,” Wallinga said.
This is the bad news. The good news that may still be bad is the fact that this poisoning is avoidable and totally reversible. The bad part is corporations will not spend more than they have to on the processing of HFCS unless they are compelled. They will not be compelled to act unless we let the administration know. I am forwarding a copy of the Washington Post story to the FSIS.
Write to the Food Safety Inspection Service division of the Department of Agriculture. Find office locations and other contact information here. Also here is another agency that deals with mercury poisoning, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
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