Facts About High-fructose Corn Syrup

High-fructose corn syrup is the controversial sweetener found in many of today's processed foods. Since its introduction in 1967, HFCS usage had grown quickly, topping out at 67.3 pounds per person in 1999 and leveling out to 59 pounds by 2005. Because the increase in usage parallels the increase in chronic disease and because it is highly processed, many questions and theories exist regarding effects of HFCS on the population.

Processing

HFCS is processed from corn. The cleaned, shelled corn is soaked and softened, and the components are separated. The starch is isolated and enzymes are added so that glucose is formed. After more purification and enzymes are added, the mixture becomes about 90 percent fructose and is then blended with a lower fructose concentrate. The result is a mixture that is 55 percent fructose, 42 percent glucose and 3 percent polysaccharides. For comparison, sugar or sucrose is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. It begins as sugar cane or sugar beets. The juice is extracted and treated with enzymes, then processed via filtration and chemical methods, and finally washed, dried, screened and conditioned.

Sweetness

A common belief about HFCS is that it is sweeter than other sweeteners. According to John White in the April 2009 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition," expert panels have judged the sweetness of HFCS and judged it to be equal to sucrose. HFCS was developed so that it would taste the same and its substitution into processed foods would go unnoticed.

Function

HFCS is an effective sweetener that is less expensive for food manufacturers than sugar. Dr. Jim Laidler states in his article on the website Science-Based Medicine that HFCS is more effective than sucrose as a moisture retention agent. SweetSurprise.com, a website of the Corn Refiners Association, asserts that HFCS is also used to enhance flavors and lower freezing points.

Sources

HFCS can be found in a wide array of foods, including baked goods such as bread, muffins and cookies, dairy foods such as yogurt and ice cream, and condiments such as ketchup, salad dressings and spaghetti sauce. Many sweetened beverages contain HFCS to help flavors remain stable and consistent. It is also used in canned fruits to protect the texture and in frozen fruit to retard freezer burn.

Research

The real controversy over HFCS lies in its effect on human health. According to the APril 2009 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition," there is not a strong correlation between HFCS availability and obesity, nor is the increased energy intake in the U.S. caused solely by HFCS consumption. It also reports that in the few studies comparing sucrose and HFCS metabolism, no difference between measures of satiety, insulin levels, obesity hormones, hunger and short-term energy intake were found. Much of the controversy stems from studies like the one in "The Journal of Clinical Investigation," which reported in May 2009 that dietary fructose increases fat storage, promotes high cholesterol and triglycerides, decreases insulin sensitivity, and increases body fat in overweight/obese adults.