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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 8:02am | IP Logged
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Here's an article from the post stating 50% of tested samples of HCFS contain mercury.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01 /26/AR2009012601831.html
Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury
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.
"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. 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 [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," said the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies.
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In the first study, researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. The study was published in current issue of Environmental Health.
In the second study, the agriculture group found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was most common in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.
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.
More information
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more about mercury and health.
SOURCE: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, news release, Jan. 26, 2009
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Melissa
Mom to a dd ('02), ds ('03), ds ('05), dd ('07) and baby due 9/01/09
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monique
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 9:06am | IP Logged
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My husband showed this to me yesterday. Yet another reason to avoid HFCS! We already try to because one of my son's has behavior problems when he eats it.
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Monique
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D. Marie
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 10:23am | IP Logged
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Oh boy, another thing to worry about in our foods. The problem is....HFCS is EVERYWHERE in EVERYTHING. Bah. Thanks Melissa for the eye-opener.
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mrsgranola
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 10:33am | IP Logged
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Thank you for posting this! My 6 yo is allergic to corn so we became aware of HFCS in everything a few years ago. Scary stuff!
JoAnna
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St. Ann
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I know a little boy who was diagnosed as autistic as a very small child. The parents left no stone unturned trying to find the reason for this, with doctors, diet......It was when the boy was 4 or 5 that they discovered he had mercury poisoning! His mother was living in Japan during her pregnancy and ate a lot of fresh fish. He ingested so much mercury in the womb that it led to this diagnosis. Since the age of 4 he has been on a super strict diet and there has been a continual improvement in his condition. They live in a metropolitan area so that obtaining organically pure foods is not as difficult as it may be for some. It takes years to clean that poison out of your system!
Melissa, thank you so much. I am off to check the labels of our packaged food!
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Stephanie
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 2:12pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for yet another reason to avoid HFCS!
For those of you(like my family) that enjoy soda pop, a great choice is soda from Mexico. They are sweetened with cane sugar. We have a small Hispanic market near us and that is where we buy our Coke when we get one as a treat.
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LeeAnn
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monique
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For our soda fix we drink Blue Sky or some fizzy fruit juice like Izzy. Blue Sky is sweetened with cane sugar like LeeAnn mentioned about the pop from Mexico. I really like the cola from Blue Sky and my kids like Dr. Becker (suppose to taste like Dr. Pepper). We also like the Green Tea Lime Soda instead of 7-Up or Sprite. We've also been known to buy the Root Beer to have Ice Cream floats!
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Monique
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MaryM
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| Posted: Jan 28 2009 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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Another option specifically for 100% cane sugar soda is Crater Lake Soda. Unfortunately it's only available to those in the Pacific Northwest right now - though they are working to expand distribution. My cousin's husband started the company and is the "brew master" (and it's really good soda!) so thought I'd give them a plug here.  
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: HFCS and mercury
