1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. • Suite 950 • Washington, D.C. 20006-5806 • (202) 331-1634 • Fax (202) 331-2054 • www.sweetsurprise.com

Dear Valued Customer:

As you know, there is considerable press attention focused on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), much of which lacks scientific merit. Such stories have generated unfounded myths about our versatile sweetener made from corn, stirring an increasingly unfavorable public dialogue.

The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) takes public comments on our products and those of our customers very seriously. On June 23, CRA will launch an integrated multimedia advertising and public relations campaign to “Change the Conversation” about HFCS.

Consumer research1 shows that many Americans are not aware that HFCS, among other things, contains the same simple sugars as sucrose and honey. Notably, when consumers are presented with the facts, their views about HFCS often change, resulting in a greater understanding of its important role in our nation’s food and beverage supply. As a result, our campaign will be focused on science-based facts that resonate with consumers.

You are our valued partner in this important endeavor. We welcome your comments throughout the campaign. Please feel free to share the enclosed materials with your customers, employees and industry members.

Please direct requests for additional materials or media inquiries concerning HFCS to me at (202) 331-1634 or aerickson@corn.org.

We look forward to working with you to change the conversation about HFCS and reinforce consumer understanding of its role in the foods and beverages that they enjoy every day.

Sincerely,

Audrae EricksonPresident

1 Source: MSR Group Survey of 1,800 Adults (April 2008)

Campaign at a Glance

1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. • Suite 950 • Washington, D.C. 20006-5806 • (202) 331-1634 • Fax (202) 331-2054 • www.sweetsurprise.com

The Corn Refiners Association is launching a multi-media campaign to change the conversation about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). The goal of the campaign is to share the facts about the important role HFCS plays in America’s foods and beverages. Research indicates that once they learn the facts, many consumers have a more favorable opinion of this versatile sweetener made from corn.

Situation: • Two-thirds of consumers are aware of HFCS, but most do not understand the similarities

and differences between HFCS and table sugar.

Objectives: • Share the facts about HFCS with consumers and opinion leaders. • Provide credible sources of information to support the facts. • Provide additional information and resources about HFCS and its role in a healthy diet. • Communicate in a responsible manner.

Target audiences: • Consumers ages 25 and above, with a particular focus on moms. • Opinion leaders: nutritionists, key health and scientific professionals, and media.

Key messages: • HFCS has the same natural sweeteners as table sugar and honey, and the same number of calories. • When you learn the facts, you’re in for a sweet surprise. • We welcome a healthy discussion.

For more information, contact:Audrae EricksonPresident, Corn Refiners Associationaerickson@corn.org(202) 331-1634

B. Burdiak, G. Priehs, C. Joyce, S. Koller, C Guzy Kuhn, A. BandekoDDB CHICAGO INC.

CFCCS84001A P84001Corn Husk Ad

Corn Refi ners Association – Corn Sugar Sweetening AgentsFull Page, B: None, T: 11.5 in x 21 in, S: None, 4/C Non-Bleed

Publications: USA Today 6/23/08 issue Materials due: 6/17/08Pre-Press: Studio Chicago DDB

the Studio

ClientCorn Refi ners Association

File NameP84001_CFCCS84001A.indd

FolderP84001_CFCCS_Husk

Printout @ 0.2%

OS X.4: InDesign CS3

PO# 11612 WO# P84001.3

Keyline SizeB NoneT 11.5 in x 21 inL None

Digital ArtistA. Bandeko

Date6-16-2008 5:45 PM

Revision # 5

Leadcgk

Routing Signatures

Creative Director:

Art Director:

Copywriter:

Acct. Exec.:

Print Producer:

Print Project Mgr.:

OK to Release

Client:

Acct. Service:

NotesType B AdBase Assembly

Colors Cyan, Magenta,

Yellow, Black

Slug Font: Myriad ProFontsDIN Schrift (30640 Neuzeit Grotesk Bold Cond; Type 1)

LinksP84001_Corn_V4_225Dmx.psd (CMYK; 300 ppi), CRA_Logo_4c.ai

T:11.5 in

T:21 in

A little sweetness in life is good. And what sweetens lots of our favorite foods and beverages are sugars made from corn, such as high fructose corn syrup. It has the same natural sweeteners as table sugar and honey. And the same number of calories. But like most foods, sweeteners should be enjoyed in moderation. Please visit our website and learn the facts. We welcome a healthy discussion.

Get the facts at sweetsurprise.com

AND NOW,

A LITTLEFOOD

FOR THOUGHT.

©2008 Corn Refi ners Association

©2008 Corn Refi ners Association

Myth: Sugar is healthier than HFCS.

Reality: HFCS is nearly identical in composition to table sugar — both contain approximately 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Sugar and HFCS have the same number of calories as most carbohydrates; both have four calories per gram. Because they are nearly compositionally equivalent, the human body cannot tell the difference between HFCS and sugar.

Myth: HFCS is to blame for obesity and causes diabetes.

Reality: There is no scientific evidence to suggest that HFCS is uniquely responsible for people becoming obese. Obesity results from an imbalance of calories consumed and calories burned.

USDA data shows that per capita consumption of HFCS is actually on the decline, yet obesity and diabetes rates continue to rise. In fact, obesity rates are rising around the world, including in Mexico, Australia and Europe, even though the use of HFCS outside of the United States is limited. Around the world, HFCS accounts for about 8 percent of caloric sweeteners consumed.

The leading causes of diabetes are obesity, advancing age and heredity. All caloric sweeteners trigger an insulin response in the body. In fact, table sugar, honey and HFCS trigger about the same insulin release because they contain nearly equal amounts of fructose and glucose.

Myth: HFCS is not natural.

Reality: HFCS, like table sugar and honey, is natural. HFCS is made from corn — a natural grain product. HFCS contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives and meets the Food and Drug Administration’s policy for use of the term “natural.”

Myth: HFCS is sweeter than sugar.

Reality: HFCS and sugar have virtually the same sweetness. HFCS was made to provide the same sweetness as sugar so that consumers would not notice a difference in sweetness or taste.

Myth: HFCS is high in fructose.

Reality: Contrary to its name, HFCS is not high in fructose. In fact, the composition of HFCS is essentially “half fructose corn syrup” which is similar to sugar. Sugar is composed of 50% fructose and 50% glucose and HFCS has either 42% or 55% fructose, with the remaining sugars being primarily glucose.

Myth: Studies conducted with pure fructose can be applied to HFCS.

Reality: Pure fructose is as different from HFCS as it is from table sugar or honey. Most studies conducted with pure fructose have been performed with abnormally high levels of fructose. Such studies are not representative of normal diets because we consume fructose

Top Published Myths about High Fructose Corn Syrup

www.sweetsurprise.com

and glucose in combination, with glucose acting as a moderator to fructose as they are consumed together. HFCS, like sugar and honey, contains both fructose and glucose in nearly equal proportions. Studies comparing HFCS to sugar have found no differences.

Myth: HFCS is metabolized differently. It blocks the ability of the body to know when it is full.

Reality: A study published in the July 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) by Pablo Monsivais, et al., at the University of Washington found that beverages sweetened with sugar, HFCS and 1% milk, all have similar effects on feelings of fullness.

Another study published in the December 2007 issue of AJCN by Stijn Soenen and Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga from the Department of Human Biology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands also found that beverages sweetened with sugar and HFCS, as well as milk, have similar effects on feelings of fullness.

The November 2007 AJCN included a study on the effect of solutions containing sugar, HFCS and various ratios of glucose to fructose on food intake, average appetite, blood glucose, plasma insulin, ghrelin and uric acid in men by Tina Akhavan and G. Harvey Anderson at the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. The researchers found that sugar, HFCS and 1:1 glucose/fructose solutions do not differ significantly in their short-term effects on subjective and physiologic measures of satiety, uric acid and food intake at a subsequent meal.

A study published in the February 2007 issue of Nutrition by Kathleen J. Melanson, et al., at the University of Rhode Island reviewed the effects of HFCS and sugar on circulating levels of glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin in a study group of lean women. The study found “no differences in the metabolic effects” of HFCS and sugar.

Myth: HFCS, fructose and corn syrup are the same.

Reality: HFCS and corn syrup are different products with distinctly different functions. Corn syrup, which is mainly glucose, is used as a non-sweet thickener. HFCS, on the other hand, is made of almost equal portions of fructose and glucose and is used as a sweetener. Fructose is a naturally occurring sweetener found in fruits and honey.

Myth: HFCS costs taxpayers millions of dollars in tax subsidies.

Reality: While the U.S. government does provide support to certain farmers to guarantee a stable farm economy and a reliable food supply, manufacturers of corn sweeteners do not receive these subsidies.

Myth: HFCS is used in food products only because it’s cheap.

Reality: Price may have prompted manufacturers to switch from sugar to HFCS twenty years ago, but it is no longer a primary factor since HFCS has specific and unique functional qualities not shared by sugar. In addition, the price of corn is rising substantially due to demand.

Corn sweeteners enjoy widespread use because they benefit consumers by reducing food spoilage, retaining moisture in foods, helping canned foods taste fresher, enhancing fruit and spice flavors and prolonging product freshness. Among many other benefits, HFCS allows breakfast bars to remain moist and makes bran cereal palatable.

www.sweetsurprise.com

Myths about HFCS, continued

“ There’s no substantial evidence to support the idea that high fructose corn syrup is somehow responsible for obesity.” “If there was no high fructose corn syrup, I don’t think we would see a change in anything important. I think there’s this overreaction.” Walter Willett, Ph.D., Chairman of the Nutrition Department, Harvard School of Public Health (The New York Times, July 2, 2006).

“ HFCS is glucose and fructose separated. Table sugar is glucose and fructose stuck together, but quickly separated by digestive enzymes.” “The body can hardly tell them apart.” Marion Nestle, Ph.D., Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University, author of “What to Eat” and “Food Politics” (Spokesman Review, January 2, 2008).

“ I don’t see it [HFCS] as a particular evil. It wouldn’t make much difference if soft drinks were sweetened with sucrose [table sugar] or high fructose corn syrup.” Michael Jacobsen, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Science in Public Interest (The Washington Post, March 11, 2003).

“ It was a theory meant to spur science, but it’s quite possible that it may be found out not to be true.” “I don’t think there should be a perception that high-fructose corn syrup has caused obesity until we know more.” Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (The New York Times, July 2, 2006).

“ I don’t think it is likely that things would be very different if people consumed increased amounts of either sucrose or high fructose corn syrup.” “Overconsumption of either sweetener, along with dietary fat and decreased physical activity, could contribute to weight gain.” Peter J. Havel, Ph.D., Associate Researcher, Department of Nutrition, University of California - Davis (The New York Times, July 2, 2006).

“ There is no difference in how the human body handles HFCS and sugar. The two sweeteners are equivalent metabolically.” James M. Rippe, M.D., Cardiologist and Biomedical Sciences Professor, University of Central Florida (Wall Street Journal, May 7, 2008).

“ Like all nutritive sweeteners, it [high fructose corn syrup] contains calories. But critics who attack a single ingredient as the sole cause of obesity are wrong and counterproductive. A quixotic search for an easy answer means true solutions to the obesity problem are not being found.” John S. White, Ph.D., Caloric Sweetener Expert and President of White Technical Research (The New York Times, July 9, 2006).

“ The culprit in obesity is not the high fructose corn syrup.. . but it’s the overconsumption of calories contributing to the weight gain.” Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., C.N.S., Director, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center (The TODAY Show, October 9, 2007).

“ HFCS is the chemical and nutritional equivalent of table sugar (sucrose). The two substances have the same calories, the same chemical composition and are metabolized identically.” Arthur Frank, M.D., Medical Director, George Washington University Weight Management Program (The Washington Times, December 6, 2006).

Experts Bring Perspective to High Fructose Corn Syrup

www.sweetsurprise.com

A recent national survey1 of more than 1,600 adults quantified Americans’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors associated with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The results indicate that public misconceptions and inaccuracies of the sweetener have affected consumer perceptions. A few key findings are indicated below:

Overall, two-thirds of household shoppers are aware of HFCS. 25% of all shoppers have heard, read or seen something of HFCS in the media.

When asked to name a sweetener made from corn that is approximately the same as sugar, only 11.4% selected “high fructose corn syrup.” More than 31% would call it “corn sweetener” and 23% would call it “corn syrup.”

The majority of respondents (67%) named sugar as an ingredient to sweeten foods and beverages and 21% named HFCS.

Slightly more than half (54%) of respondents think that neither table sugar nor HFCS is healthier than the other, 30% think table sugar is healthier and only 5% think HFCS is healthier.

Consumers are in the dark when it comes to understanding the differences and similarities between HFCS and table sugar.

• Only 19% of respondents know that table sugar and HFCS are the same “sweetness.”

• More than two-thirds of consumers do not know that HFCS and table sugar have the same number of calories.

• Almost two-thirds do not know that HFCS is 100% natural.

• Almost two-thirds do not know that HFCS and table sugar contain the same simple sugars.

Consumer Awareness of High Fructose Corn Syrup

www.sweetsurprise.com

1 Survey of 1,610 adults age 18 and older, conducted by The MSR Group, March 28 – April 11 2008, on behalf of the Corn Refiners Association. The maximum margin of error is +/- 2.4 percent.

Q&ASince its introduction in the 1970s, high fructose corn syrup has

become a widely accepted American sweetener made from corn.This brochure offers answers to some frequently asked questions

about this highly versatile sweetener.

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn and can befound in numerous foods and beverages on grocery store shelves in the UnitedStates. HFCS is composed of either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, with theremaining sugars being primarily glucose and higher sugars. In terms ofcomposition, HFCS is nearly identical to table sugar (sucrose), which is composedof 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. Glucose is one of the simplestforms of sugar that serves as a building block for most carbohydrates. Fructoseis a simple sugar commonly found in fruits and honey.

HFCS is used in foods and beverages because of the many benefits it offers. Inaddition to providing sweetness at a level equivalent to sugar,1 HFCS enhancesfruit and spice flavors in foods such as yogurt and spaghetti sauces, gives chewybreakfast bars their soft texture and also protects freshness. HFCS keeps productsfresh by maintaining consistent moisture.2 For more details, see Facts AboutCaloric Sweeteners on the back cover.

What is the difference between HFCS and sugar?Sugar and HFCS have the same number of calories as most carbohydrates; bothcontribute 4 calories per gram. They are also equal in sweetness.2

Sugar and HFCS contain nearly the same one-to-one ratio of two sugars—fructoseand glucose:

Sugar is 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose. HFCS is sold principally in two formulations—42 percent and 55 percentfructose—with the balance made up of primarily glucose and higher sugars.1

High Fructose Corn Syrup Quick FactsResearch confirms that high fructose corn syrup is safe and no differentfrom other common sweeteners like table sugar and honey. All threesweeteners contain nearly the same one-to-one ratio of two sugars—fructose and glucose.High fructose corn syrup has the same number of calories as tablesugar and is equal in sweetness. It contains no artificial or syntheticingredients.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted high fructose corn syrup“Generally Recognized as Safe” status for use in food, and reaffirmedthat ruling in 1996 after thorough review.High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh,enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helpskeep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors inbeverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments.

Additional information and complete copies of peer-reviewedjournal articles can be found at www.HFCSfacts.com.

Questions & Answers AboutHigh Fructose Corn Syrup

continued inside

Once the combination of glucose and fructose found in HFCSand sugar are absorbed into the blood stream, the twosweeteners appear to be metabolized similarly in thebody.3,4,5,6,7,8

In terms of chemical structure, table sugar and HFCS differby the bonding of their sugars. Table sugar is a disaccharide,in which fructose and glucose are linked by a chemical bond.9Fructose and glucose are not bonded in HFCS, and so aresometimes referred to as “free” sugars.

Is HFCS a “natural” sweetener?HFCS is made from corn, a natural grain product. HFCScontains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additivesand meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)requirements for use of the term “natural.”10

Is HFCS sweeter than sugar?No. When HFCS was developed, it was specifically formulatedto provide sweetness equivalent to sugar. In order for foodand beverage makers to use HFCS in place of sugar, it wasimportant that it provide the same level of sweetness as sugarso that consumers would not perceive a difference in productsweetness and taste.

HFCS-55 has sweetness equivalent to sugar and is used inmany carbonated soft drinks in the United States. HFCS-42is somewhat less sweet and is used in many fruit-flavorednoncarbonated beverages, baked goods and other productsin which its special characteristics such as fermentability,lower freezing point, surface browning and flavor enhancementadd value to the product.2 See Facts About CaloricSweeteners on the back cover.

Is there a correlation between the introduction ofHFCS and the rise of obesity in the past 30 years?Many factors contribute to the development of obesity, yetnutritionists, health experts and researchers generally agreethat the chief cause is an imbalance between caloriesconsumed and calories burned. Excessive calories can beconsumed as fats, proteins, alcohol or carbohydrates. TheAmerican Dietetic Association notes, “Excess body fat[obesity] arises from the energy imbalance caused by takingin too much energy and expending too little energy. ... Obesityis a complex problem and its cause cannot be simply

Comparison of Caloric Sweetener Compositions1

attributed to any one component of the food supply such assweeteners.”11

Further, the prevalence of obesity is increasing around theworld, according to the International Obesity Task Force—even though use of HFCS outside of the United States islimited or nonexistent.12 In fact, sugar accounts for about 92percent of caloric sweeteners consumed worldwide.13

Scientific studies continue to find that HFCS does notcontribute to obesity any differently than sugar.

An expert panel, led by Richard Forshee, Ph.D. of theUniversity of Maryland Center for Food, Nutrition andAgriculture Policy, concluded that “the currently availableevidence is insufficient to implicate HFCS per se as a causalfactor in the overweight and obesity problem in the UnitedStates.” The panel’s report was published in the August 2007issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.14

The report found that there are many other “plausibleexplanations for rising overweight and obesity rates” in theUnited States, listing such factors as “a decrease in smoking;an increase in sedentary occupations; an increase in two-income households and single-parent households;transportation and infrastructure changes that discouragephysical activity; a decrease in PE classes and extracurricularsports programs in schools; an increase in sedentary formsof entertainment (i.e. TV/movie viewing, video games, etc.);demographic changes (i.e. aging population, immigration,etc.); a decrease in food costs with increase in food availability;and changes in food consumption patterns.”

Another peer-reviewed study summized that those whofrequently consume sweetened soft drinks do not have ahigher obesity rate than those who rarely drink them. Thestudy found higher obesity rates correlated with several otherfactors, such as the amount of time in front of the computeror TV, or the consumption of high amounts of dietary fat.15

Further, the November/December 2005 issue of NutritionToday includes a report from the Center for Food, Nutritionand Agriculture Policy and its Ceres Workshop, which wascompiled by scientists who reviewed a number of criticalcommentaries about HFCS. Their analysis found that HFCSis not a unique contributor to obesity, concluding “there iscurrently no convincing evidence to support a link betweenHFCS consumption and overweight/obesity.”16

Component Percentage HFCS-42 HFCS-55 Table Sugar Invert Sugar* Honey**

Fructose 42 55 50 45 49

Glucose 53 42 50 45 43

Other Sugars 5 3 0 10 5* Hydrolyzed sugar comprised equally of free fructose and glucose** Does not sum to 100 because honey also contains some proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.For more information on different types of sweeteners, see www.Sweet-Smarts.com.

www.HFCSfacts.com

Per capita consumption (pounds) ofselected sweeteners, 1970–2007.18, 19, 22

www.HFCSfacts.com

Is HFCS known to cause diabetes?No. Many parts of the world, including Australia, Mexicoand Europe, have rising rates of obesity and diabetes despitehaving little or no HFCS in their foods and beverages,12,13

which supports findings by the U.S. Centers for DiseaseControl and the American Diabetes Association that theprimary causes of diabetes are obesity, advancing age andheredity.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data show that percapita consumption of HFCS has been declining in recentyears, yet the incidence of obesity and diabetes in the UnitedStates remains on the rise.17

Has the use of HFCS in the food supplyincreased the amount of fructose in the diet?No. Many press reports note the dramatic increase of HFCSin the food supply since it’s introduction in the 1970s.However, it is important to note that as HFCS consumptionincreased, sugar consumption decreased. USDA data showthat the per capita use of HFCS in the U.S. food supply wasmatched with an almost equal decline, on a one-to-one basis,in the per capita use of sugar. In fact, consumption of HFCShas declined since its peak in 1999. The USDA estimatesper capita sugar consumption in 2007 was 44.2 lbs per year18

and 40.1 lbs per year for HFCS.19

As HFCS use increased in the United States, it replacedsugar in various foods and beverages on a nearly one-for-onebasis, as the chart (lower right) illustrates. Yet because sugarand HFCS share a common composition, the ratio of fructose-to-glucose in the diet has remained relatively unchanged overtime. This confirms that the approximate overall sugars mixturein the foods and beverages we consume—principally glucoseand fructose—is nearly the same today as it was 30 yearsago, before HFCS was introduced.

Is HFCS considered a safe food ingredient?Yes. In 1983, the FDA listed HFCS as “Generally Recognizedas Safe” (known as GRAS status) for use in food andreaffirmed that ruling in 1996. In its 1996 GRAS ruling, theFDA noted that “the saccharide composition (glucose tofructose ratio) of HFCS is approximately the same as that ofhoney, invert sugar and the disaccharide sucrose [tablesugar].”20 GRAS recognition by FDA is important because itis only assigned to food ingredients that are recognized byexperts as having a long history of safe use or as having theirsafety shown through adequate scientific studies.

According to the American Dietetic Association, “Consumerscan safely enjoy a range of nutritive and nonnutritivesweeteners when consumed in a diet that is guided by currentfederal nutrition recommendations ... as well as individualhealth goals.”11

Does consumption of HFCS,as compared to sugar, reduce theability of the body to produce insulin?No. Both have largely the same effect on insulin production.Insulin is essentially responsible for the uptake of glucose

into cells and the lowering of blood sugar. All caloricsweeteners trigger an insulin response to a greater or lesserextent. Among common sweeteners, pure glucose triggersthe greatest insulin release, while pure fructose triggers theleast. Both table sugar and HFCS trigger about the sameintermediate insulin release because they contain nearlyequal amounts of glucose and fructose.21

It is extremely rare for pure fructose to be consumed alone inthe diet. Fructose is usually consumed together with glucose,as it is in HFCS, table sugar and honey. It is important toremember that no matter the source of the ingredients—whether from sugar or HFCS—the human body producesinsulin in response to the whole meal consumed.

Kathleen J. Melanson, et al., at the University of Rhode Islandreviewed the effects of HFCS and sugar on circulating levelsof glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin in a study group of leanwomen. All four tested substances have been hypothesizedto play a role in metabolism and obesity. The study found“no differences in the metabolic effects” of HFCS and sugarin this short-term study, and called for additional studies ofobese individuals and males.5

Does the body process HFCSdifferently than other sugars?No. HFCS contains approximately equal ratios of fructoseand glucose, as does table sugar, honey and many fruits.

Once the combination of glucose and fructose found in HFCSand sugar are absorbed into the blood stream, the twosweeteners appear to be metabolized similarly in thebody.3,4,5,6,7,8

1970

1974

1978

1986

1990

1994

1998

2007

2002

1982

www.HFCSfacts.com

Leptin and GhrelinKathleen J. Melanson, et al., at the University of Rhode Islandreviewed the effects of HFCS and sugar on circulating levelsof glucose, leptin, insulin and ghrelin in a study group of leanwomen. The study found “no differences in the metaboliceffects” of HFCS and sugar.5

TriglyceridesA study by Linda M. Zukley, et al., at the Rippe LifestyleInstitute reviewed the effects of HFCS and sugar ontriglycerides in a study group of lean women. This short-termstudy found “no differences in the metabolic effects in leanwomen [of HFCS] compared to sucrose,” and called foradditional studies of obese individuals or individuals at riskfor the metabolic syndrome.6

The metabolic syndrome is a collection of metabolic riskfactors including abdominal obesity, atherogenicdyslipidemia, raised blood pressure, insulin resistance,prothrombotic state and proinflammatory state, whichincrease the chance of developing vascular disease.23

Uric AcidJoshua Lowndes, et al., at the Rippe Lifestyle Institutereviewed the effects of HFCS and sugar on circulating levelsof uric acid in a study group of lean women. Uric acid isbelieved to play a role in the development of the metabolicsyndrome. This short-term study found “no differences inthe metabolic effects in lean women [of HFCS] compared tosucrose,” and called for additional studies of obese individualsand males.7

Does HFCS affect feelings of fullness?No credible research has demonstrated that HFCS affectscalorie control differently than sugar. A study by PabloMonsivais, et al., at the University of Washington found thatbeverages sweetened with sugar and HFCS, as well as 1%milk, all have similar effects on feelings of fullness.24

Stijn Soenen and Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga,researchers at the Department of Human Biology atMaastricht University in The Netherlands, studied the effectsof milk and beverages sweetened with sugar and HFCS onfeelings of fullness. The researchers found “no differences in

satiety, compensation or overconsumption” between the threebeverages.25

Tina Akhavan and G. Harvey Anderson at the Department ofNutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University ofToronto studied the effect of solutions containing sugar, highfructose corn syrup and various ratios of glucose to fructoseon food intake, average appetite, blood glucose, plasmainsulin, ghrelin and uric acid in men. The researchers foundthat sugar, HFCS, and 1:1 glucose/fructose solutions do notdiffer significantly in their short-term effects on subjectiveand physiologic measures of satiety, uric acid and food intakeat a subsequent meal.8

Further, research by Almiron-Roig and co-workers in 2003showed that a regular soft drink, orange juice and low-fatmilk were not significantly different in their effects on hungeror satiety ratings, or in calories consumed at a subsequentmeal.26

Does HFCS have a high Glycemic Index?The Glycemic Index (GI) is a ranking of foods, beveragesand ingredients based on their immediate effect on bloodglucose levels. The GI measures how much blood sugarincreases over a period of two or three hours after a meal.Some scientists believe that selecting foods with a low GIhelps in diabetes management.

Carbohydrate foods that break down quickly during digestionhave the highest GI. The benchmark in many indexes isglucose, with a GI of 100. Compared with glucose, the GI offructose is very low with a value of 20. Sugar and honey, bothwith similar compositions to HFCS, have moderate GI valuesthat range from 55 to 60.27 Although it has not yet beenspecifically measured, HFCS would be expected to have amoderate GI because of its similarity in composition to honeyand sugar.

It must be kept in mind that the body does not respond tothe GI of individual ingredients, but rather to the GI of theentire meal. Since added sugars (principally sugar and HFCS)typically contribute less than 20 percent of calories,28 it isclear that HFCS is a minor contributor to the overall GI in anormal diet.

Endnotes1. Hanover LM, White JS. 1993. Manufacturing, composition, and applications of fructose. Am J Clin Nutr 58(suppl 5):724S-732S.2. White JS. 1992. Fructose syrup: production, properties and applications, in FW Schenck & RE Hebeda, eds, Starch Hydrolysis Products –

Worldwide Technology, Production, and Applications. VCH Publishers, Inc. pp. 177-200.3. Coulston AM, Johnson RK. 2002. Sugar and sugars: Myths and realities. J Am Diet Assoc 102(3):351-353.4. Sigman-Grant M, Jorita J. 2003. Defining and interpreting intakes of sugars. Am J Clin Nutr 78(4):815S-826S.5. Melanson KJ, Zukley L, Lowndes J, Nguyen V, Angelopoulos TJ, Rippe JM. 2007. Effects of high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose consumption

on circulating glucose, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin and on appetite in normal-weight women. Nutrition 23(2):103-112.6. Zukley M, et al. June 2007. The Effect of High Fructose Corn Syrup on Post-Prandial Lipemia in Normal Weight Females. Presented at the June

2007 meeting of The Endocrine Society. Program Abstract #P2-46.7. Lowndes J, et al. June 2007. The Effect of High-Fructose Corn Syrup on Uric Acid Levels in Normal Weight Women. Presented at the June 2007

meeting of The Endocrine Society. Program Abstract #P2-45.8. Akhavan T. and Anderson GH. 2007. Effects of glucose-to-fructose ratios in solutions on subjective satiety, food intake, and satiety hormones

in young men. Am J Clin Nut. Vol. 86(5) 1354-1363.9. Stryer, L. 1975. Biochemistry. WH Freeman & Co., San Francisco.10. 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 101.22.11. American Dietetic Association. 2004. Use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. J Am Diet Assoc 104:255-275.12. International Obesity Task Force. March 2008. Prevalence of Adult Obesity. See also World Health Organization. September 2006. Obesity and

overweight: Fact sheet No 311.13. LMC International, Inc. 2008. Table 2: World Sugar & HFCS Consumption. Sweetener Analysis January 2008.14. Forshee RA, Storey ML, Allison DB, Glinsmann WH, Hein GL, Lineback DR, Miller SA, Nicklas TA, Weaver GA, White JS. 2007. A Critical

Examination of the Evidence Relating High Fructose Corn Syrup and Weight Gain. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 47(6):561-582.

15. Sun SZ, Empie MW. 2007. Lack of findings for the association between obesity risk and usual sugar-sweetened beverage consumption inadults - A primary analysis of databases of CSFII-1989-1991, CSFII-1994-1998, NHANES III, and combined NHANES 1999-2002. Food ChemToxicol 45(8):1523-1536.

16. Hein GL, Storey ML, White JS, Lineback DR. 2005. Highs and Lows of High Fructose Corn Syrup: A Report from the Center for Food and NutritionPolicy and Its Ceres Workshop. Nutrition Today 40(6):253-256.

17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2007. National diabetes fact sheet, 2005.18. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. April 2008. Table 51 -- Refined cane and beet sugar: estimated number of per

capita calories consumed daily, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook 2007.19. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. April 2008. Table 52 -- High fructose corn syrup: estimated number of per capita

calories consumed daily, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook 2007.20. 61 Fed. Reg. 43447 (August 23, 1996), 21 C.F.R. 184.1866. Direct food substances affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe; High Fructose

Corn Syrup - Final Rule.21. Akgun S, Ertel NH. 1985. The effects of sucrose, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup meals on plasma glucose and insulin in non-insulin-

dependent diabetic subjects. Diabetes Care 8(3):279-83.22. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. April 2008. Table 53 -- Other sweeteners: estimated number of per capita calories

consumed daily, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook 2007.23. American Heart Association. Metabolic Syndrome Fact Sheet. Accessed March 18, 2008. http://www.americanheart.org/

presenter.jhtml?identifier=475624. Monsivais P, Perrigue MM, Drewnowski A. 2007. Sugars and satiety: does the type of sweetener make a difference? Am J Clin Nutr. 86(1):116-

123.25. Soenen S and Westerterp-Plantenga MS. 2007. No differences in satiety or energy intake after high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or milk

preloads. Am J Clin Nutr 86:1586-1594.26. Almiron-Roig E, Drewnowski A. 2003. Hunger, thirst, and energy intakes following consumption of caloric beverages. Physiol Behav 79:767-

774.27. Foster-Powell K, et al. 2002. International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002. Am J Clin Nutr 76:5-56.28. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2007. Average daily per capita calories from the U.S. food supply, adjusted for

spoilage and other waste: 1970-2005. Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data.29. Food Allergen and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. Public Law 108-282.30. Loveless MH. 1950. Allergy for corn and its derivatives; experiments with a masked ingestion test for its diagnosis. J Allergy 21:500.31. White JS. April 2007. HFCS: What it is and what it ain't. American Society for Nutrition Panel Discussion, "High Fructose Corn Syrup: Everything

You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask,” presented at Experimental Biology 2007.32. Widdowson EM and McCance RA. 1935. The available carbohydrate of fruits: Determination of glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch.

Biochem. J. 29(1):151-156.

www.HFCSfacts.com

Is HFCS allergenic?A number of cereal grains are known to cause allergic reactions(e.g., wheat, rye, barley), but corn is not among them.29 Infact, the prevalence of corn allergy in the U.S. is extremelylow—estimated to affect no more than 0.016 percent of thegeneral population.30 Food allergies are caused by certainproteins in foods. Nearly all of the corn protein is removedduring the production of HFCS. Moreover, the trace proteinremaining in HFCS likely bears little immunologicalresemblance to allergens in the original kernel.

How is HFCS made?The corn wet milling industry makes HFCS from corn starchusing a series of unit processes that include steeping cornto soften the hard kernel; physical separation of the kernelinto its separate components—starch, corn hull, proteinand oil; breakdown of the starch to glucose; use of enzymesto invert glucose to fructose; removal of impurities; andblending of glucose and fructose to make HFCS-42 andHFCS-55.2

Sweeteners that contribute calories to the diet are called caloric or nutritive sweeteners. All common caloric sweeteners have thesame composition: they contain fructose and glucose in essentially equal proportions. All caloric sweeteners require processingto produce a food-grade product.

a simple sugar commonly found in fruits and honey

a simple sugar that serves as a building block for most carbohydrates

free (unbonded) fructose and glucose in liquid (syrup) form; produced from corn

crystalline white table sugar; produced from sugar cane or sugar beets; fructose and glucosebonded together

free fructose and glucose in liquid (syrup) form; produced from the breakdown of sugar

free fructose and glucose in liquid (syrup) form; produced from the breakdown of cane juice

liquid (syrup) product; principally free fructose and glucose with minor levels of other sugars andsome trace minerals

concentrated, filtered, clarified fruit juice; fructose-to-glucose ratio varies by fruit source, but generallyequivalent to other nutritive sweeteners (orange juice and grape juice have a fructose to glucoseratio of 1 to 1, while apple juice has a ratio of 2 to 1)

For more information on different types of sweeteners, see www.Sweet-Smarts.com.

Nutritional CharacteristicsCommon caloric sweeteners share the same general nutritional characteristics:

each has roughly the same composition—equal proportions of the simple sugars fructose and glucose;each offers approximately the same sweetness on a per-gram basis;one gram (dry basis) of each adds 4 calories to foods and beverages;each is absorbed from the gut at about the same rate;similar ratios of fructose and glucose arrive in the bloodstream after a meal, which are indistinguishable in the body.

Since caloric sweeteners are nutritionally equivalent, they are interchangeable in foods and beverages with no measurable changein metabolism.

What if caloric sweeteners are removed from foods?To replace one caloric sweetener with another provides no change in nutritional value. To remove sweeteners entirely from theircommonly used applications and replace them with high intensity sweeteners would drastically alter product flavor and sweetness,require the use of chemical preservatives to ensure product quality and freshness, result in a reduction in perceived food quality (brancereal with the caloric sweeteners removed would have the consistency of sawdust), and would likely require the addition of bulkingagents to provide the expected texture, mouth feel or volume for most baked goods.

Why is HFCS used in specific applications?If consumers are sometimes surprised to find HFCS in particular foods or beverages, it may be because they do not have a fullappreciation of its versatility and value. HFCS often plays a key role in the integrity of food and beverage products that has little todo with sweetening. Here are some examples in popular products:

HFCS gives a pleasing brown crust to breads and cakes; contributes fermentable sugars to yeast-raised products; reduces sugar crystallization during baking for soft-moist textures; enhances flavorsof fruit fillings

HFCS provides fermentable sugars; enhances fruit and spice flavors; controls moisture to preventseparation; regulates tartness

HFCS enhances flavor and balance – replaces the “pinch of table sugar grandma added” to enhancespice flavors; balances the variable tartness of tomatoes

HFCS provides greater stability in acidic carbonated sodas than sucrose; flavors remain consistentand stable over the entire shelf-life of the product

HFCS enhances moisture control, retards spoilage and extends product freshness; provides softtexture; enhances spice and fruit flavors

Fructose

Glucose

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

Sucrose

Invert sugar

Hydrolyzed cane juice

Honey

Fruit juice concentrate

Baked goods

Yogurt

Spaghetti sauces, ketchupand condiments

Beverages

Granola, breakfast andenergy bars

Facts About Caloric Sweeteners 1, 2, 31, 32

www.HFCSfacts.comCorn Refiners Association, 1701 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 950, Washington, DC 20006-5806, phone: (202) 331-1634 fax: (202) 331-2054