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What's in a name: Corn sugar vs. corn syrup
A farmer processes corn cobs.
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Steve Chiotakis: A district judge in California is going to hear arguments today in a case over the rebranding of "corn syrup," now called "corn sugar."
Marketplace's David Gura reports.
David Gura: A few years ago, corn refiners -- the companies that turn corn into corn syrup -- had a problem.
Harry Balzer: Over 50 percent of Americans were expressing concern about high fructose corn syrup.
That's Harry Balzer, an analyst with The NPD Group, a marketing research firm. Balzer told me many Americans started to worry about the healthiness of corn syrup, an ingredient that's used in lots of processed foods. So, corn syrup got a makeover in an attempt to win back old buyers -- it became "corn sugar."
Balzer: It seems to me Americans become more concerned about issues because they're told to be concerned about these issues, not because they know about them.
Corn syrup -- excuse me, corn sugar -- manufacturers spent millions on ads, and plain old sugar producers decided to sue. They say the new name is misleading, arguing corn sugar isn't a real sugar. Today, a judge will decide if their case has legs.
Harry Balzer says eating habits have changed. Americans are worried about the relationship between sweeteners and obesity, and that'll be a big obstacle to overcome, whether you work with sugarcane or corn.
I'm David Gura, for Marketplace.
Corn in general is not a good food to eat. It has too many carbs, too much sugar, and a very high glycemic index. Therefore, using sugar from corn is not good in my opinion. However, if used occasionally, it is not a problem if you do not have an allergy to corn wich so many do.
I believe that corn syrup (such as Karo Syrup) is different than High-Fructose Corn Syrup (the controversial sweetener).
It is the HFCS industry that wants to change its product name to "corn sugar."
So, Corn Syrup and High-Fructose Corn Syrup are to distinctly different substances, which I'm sure causes the manufactures of corn syrup great pains as HFCS has been linked to America's current weight problem.
As part of Karo's P.R. campaign, they state their products do not contain HFCS. and address the issue in their FAQ section on their website.
The following from the FAQ section touches on the controversy:
Since the early 1980's, high fructose corn syrup consumption has tripled and recently estimated at 60 pounds per person annually. During the same time period, the rate of obesity has also increased dramatically. Some researchers believe there is a link between the increase in obesity and the increase in high fructose corn syrup consumption. There are other researchers, however, that do not believe there is a connection.
