Mention the phrase “mercury exposure” and most people think of seafood. New data suggest, however, that mercury may reside in an even more ubiquitous source: high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). According to a preliminary study published in the journal Environmental Health, a team of researchers found detectable levels of mercury in 9 out of 20 samples of commercial HFCS obtained from several manufacturers.
The researchers acknowledged the small trial size, noting that they were unable to obtain additional samples. But they added that since 45% of the samples contained mercury, “it would be prudent and perhaps essential for public health that additional research be conducted by FDA or some other public health agency to determine if products containing HFCS also contain mercury.”
Assuming an average daily consumption of 49.8 g of HFCS, the researchers estimated that the potential average daily total mercury exposure from HFCS could range from 0–28.4 μg.
How widespread is the exposure? An additional study by the same team found mercury in one-third of 55 well-known brand-name foods and beverages that listed HFCS as the first or second ingredient.
The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) responded with a statement describing the study as “outdated” and “based on discontinued technology.”
More information about the two studies can be found on the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Web site. To read CRA’s statement, click here.
—DS