RSS
Home
Mercury found in popular kids' foods containing high fructose corn syrup – complete list of products
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Pick any item from your pantry or refrigerator and look at the ingredient list. Chances are, you’ll see high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) listed as one of the first ingredients. Snack foods, in particular are abundant with this synthetic substance and now, it looks like it may be more than just unhealthy, but a health hazard.
An article published recently in the journal, Environmental Health, describes the shocking findings about mercury being found in nearly 50 percent of tested samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup. And a similar study by the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy (IATP) found that mercury has been detected in nearly one-third of 55 popular food and beverage products in which HFCS is listed as the first or second ingredient. Products tested included big name brands such as Quaker, Hershey’s, Kraft and Smuckers.
According to the IATP press release on the study,
HFCS use has skyrocketed in recent decades as the sweetener has replaced sugar in many processed foods. HFCS is found in sweetened beverages, breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS. Consumption by teenagers and other high consumers can be up to 80 percent above average levels.
"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement.
Following is a complete list of the 55 items the IATP tested, as well as the corresponding levels of mercury detected.
Table A: Total mercury detected in 55 brand name foods and beverages
high in HFCS
Product Name | Total mercury detected (ppt) | Laboratory detection limit (ppt) |
Quaker Oatmeal to Go | 350 | 80 |
Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce (Heinz) | 300 | 100 |
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup | 257 | 50 |
Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce | 200 | 100 |
Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars | 180 | 80 |
Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe | 150 | 80 |
Market Pantry Grape Jelly | 130 | 80 |
Smucker’s Strawberry Jelly | 100 | 80 |
Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry | 100 | 80 |
Hunt's Tomato Ketchup | 87 | 50 |
Wish-Bone Western Sweet & Smooth | 72 | 50 |
Coca-Cola Classic | 62 | 50 |
Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt | 60 | 20 |
Minute Maid Berry Punch | 40 | 30 |
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink | 30 | 20 |
Nesquik Chocolate Milk | 30 | 20 |
Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk | 30 | 20 |
Hy-Top Syrup | ND | 50 |
Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red | ND | 50 |
NOS High Performance Energy Drink | ND | 50 |
A & W Root Beet | ND | 30 |
Dr. Pepper | ND | 30 |
Wyler's Italian Ices | ND | 30 |
Market Pantry Ice Pops | ND | 30 |
Kool-Aid Bursts Tropical Punch | ND | 30 |
Kool-Aid Cherry Jammers | ND | 30 |
Sunny-D | ND | 30 |
Snapple Peach Iced Tea | ND | 30 |
Powerade Orange | ND | 30 |
Lipton Green Tea | ND | 30 |
Zoo Juice Orange | ND | 30 |
Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast | ND | 30 |
Fanta Orange | ND | 30 |
Pepsi | ND | 30 |
7-Up | ND | 30 |
Hi-C Wild Cherry | ND | 30 |
Jell-O Strawberry | ND | 100 |
Before you go throwing away your entire food inventory and subsisting only on raw foods, Wallinga cautions consumers and tells WebMD that this list was,
"Just a snapshot in time; we only tested one sample of each product. That clearly is not sufficient grounds to give definitive advice to consumers."
Regardless, the preliminary findings indicate that there will likely be more revealing and hazardous findings to come. While we all ponder what other damaging chemicals are present in our foods, perhaps it is time to consider jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and going completely all natural. It will be better for everyone's health.
Click HERE for more information on this study from the IATP site.
Related Articles:
Comments
Maclaren, a popular stroller manufacturer, just announced a voluntary recall of all strollers sold in the U.S. from 1999 to present due to a finger …
There’s no doubt that kids love to build things and then take them apart – over and over again. The Noah’s Ark Set from Tier Toys …
- Liz Barrett, Celebrity News Examiner
- Charlie Papazian, Beer Examiner
- Joshua McIntire, Internet Buzz Examiner
- Jen Boyer, Careers and Family Examiner
- Linda Diproperzio, Relationship Examiner
- Michele Johansen & Lexie Tigre, Seattle Eastside Parenting Examiners
- Mary Kay, Bargain Examiner
- Kimberley Blaine, LA Go-To Mom Examiner
- The products featured in the Motherhood Examiner’s national column come from both
- personal purchases and free samples received from companies, PR agencies, etc.
- The opinions expressed in this column are based solely on
- the experience of the writer and not that of Examiner.com.
- All content is copyright protected and owned by the writer, Jeana Lee Tahnk.
