I was recently doing a report on the effects of high
fructose corn syrup when I stumbled upon some research that linked yet another
issue to it. This time it is mercury
contamination. It appears that the
product that is used to break down the starches during the production process
can contain high amounts of mercury.
This product, caustic soda, is used to separate the corn starch from the
hull. The mercury within the caustic
soda is then transferred to the corn syrup.
The final products that contain this high fructose corn syrup have then,
indirectly, been also contaminated by the process. There have been several news articles on this
study, including one done by the Huffington Post.
It is important to understand the effects of mercury on the
body. Mercury is extremely toxic and can
do serious harm to organs and tissue. As
with many heavy metals, like lead, there have been environmental exposure
levels which have been deemed as “safe”.
The trouble with this determination is the fact that mercury can accumulate
in the tissues and brain and eventually cause a cumulative impact over a period
of time. This is particularly of concern
to pregnant women as the brain of the developing fetus may grow abnormally as a
result of the mercury exposure. Until
recently, fish was the biggest concern for mercury contamination worries. No one would have guessed that the ketchup
for the “fish and chips” could be causing similar concerns. I was surprised to see the products which
tested the highest for mercury contamination.
This study has definitely given me some food for thought.
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