Informedchoicesblog’s Weblog

Although I’ve read a lot about the widespread presence of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in American foods, the debate never seemed as intensive in Europe. As it turns out, HFCS is more frequently used in American processed foods than in Europe because importing sugar into the US is expensive due to import tariffs. HFCS is derived from corn, which is a subsidised crop in the US. Therefore it’s cheaper for US food manufacturers to sweeten their food and drinks with corn-derived HFCS.

Within the EU, a similar product to HFCS is known as isoglucose (both are made by subjecting glucose to enzymatic processing, increasing its fructose content, but HFCS is corn-syrup-based, whereas isoglucose can be derived from sugar and potato or wheat starch). In both cases, the dextrose is transformed into fructose. However, the EU sugar market is highly regulated, and isoglucose production is limited to 2% or so of sugar production, accounting for why isoglucose has not replaced sugar in Europe to the same extent that HFCS has done in the US (hence while US consumers seeking to avoid HFCS would have to be careful when buying processed foods, and might have more limited choices, within the EU there may be more options).

HFCS and isoglucose are used in many processed foods items because they are soluble and hydroscopic (meaning they absorb moisture and keep foods moist, handy for a long shelf-life). These sweeteners crop up in ice creams and syrups, jams and jellies, cookies and bars…desserts or foods where some kind of sweetener (not necessarily HFCS!) would be expected. They can also appear in pasta sauces, juice, bread, salsas, salad dressings…foods you wouldn’t normally expect to have much, if any, sweeteners in them (beyond what is naturally present in the food). By eating processed foods, you can be unknowingly adding kilos of artificial sweeteners to your diet (especially since HFCS is often used in conjunction with other sweeteners).

One of the main problems with consumption of HFCS is that the long-term consequences of its use is unknown, but it is added in many processed foods – particularly those imported from the US. Some scientists think the  sweetener is processed  differently by the body than more traditional sweeteners such as table sugar, and also that the processes it undergoes in the liver may contribute to heart disease. Another significant problem is the point mentioned above: that it is one of the many ‘hidden’ sugars which contribute so much to hyperactivity and obesity.

HFCS and isoglucose are not just another type of sugar; they are highly-processed, and they are very, very new.  As Center for Science in the Public Interest executive director Michael Jacobson said, ““High fructose corn syrup isn’t something you could cook up from a bushel of corn in your kitchen, unless you happen to be equipped with centrifuges, hydroclones, ion-exchange columns, and buckets of enzymes.”

Edit: HFCS is also known as glucose-fructose syrup in the UK.