Some of you may have heard that the Corn Refiner's Association has submitted a petition to the Food And Drug Administration requesting that the term "corn sugar" be approved for use on food labels instead of high fructose corn syrup. Read the petition for yourself if you like. There is a "submit comment" link on the upper right had side of the document details page. Please use the form to let the FDA know what you think fo the petition; it is an easy process. There is a limit on the number of characters one can use in the comment. As you can imagine, I could have gone on at much greater length, but here is the text of my comment:
"I am a registered, licensed dietitian. I help patients with gastrointestinal diseases and disorders, including those with fructose malabsorption. I object to the reasoning presented by the Corn Refiners Association in their petition for the FDA to approve the use of the term corn sugar to describe high-fructose corn syrup, and I urge the FDA to turn down this petition. Fructose is absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine at a slow rate. Fructose absorption is more complete when the ratio of fructose to glucose is exactly 50/50 for biochemical reasons, and the rate at which individuals absorb fructose varies a great deal. Individuals with fructose malabsorption may experience gas, bloating and diarrhea when they consume foods containing as little as .5 grams/100 grams of food excess fructose relative to glucose (.5% difference).
In Section B. 1. of the petition, the Corn Refiners Association alleges that high fructose corn syrup and sugar have equivalent ratios of glucose and fructose, and that they are equivalent by every parameter of relevance to consumers. Both of these statements are patently false. The percentage of fructose in sugar (sucrose) is exactly 50%. The percentage of fructose in commercially available high fructose corn syrups varies from 45% to 55% to 90%. The 45% fructose high fructose corn syrup would not pose a problem for my patients. However, corn syrup products over 50.5% fructose have the potential to trigger symptoms in patients with fructose malabsorption. 55%-90% fructose in high fructose corn syrup is NOT equal, and NOT equivalent to the ratio in sucrose. For consumers with fructose malabsorbtion, this is a highly relevant difference between sucrose and high fructose corn syrup. Consumers with fructose malabsorption need to see the word fructose on the food label to help them avoid foods they cannot tolerate. On their behalf I urge the FDA to deny the petition. Please call 207-318-7629 for more references.
