Starbucks stepping up anti-corn syrup move

June 26, 1:10 PMUpstate NY Restaurant ExaminerBill Dowd

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  New no-HFCS products from Starbucks

• From Nation's Restaurant News

Menu revamps at both coffeehouse giant Starbucks Corp. and smoothie leader Jamba Juice earlier this month have raised the stakes in the growing controversy over high-fructose corn syrup as a ubiquitous ingredient in American foodservice.

Beginning June 30, Starbucks said it would unveil a line of new baked goods made without what it called “unnecessary stuff,” including artificial flavors, colors, and, most significantly, high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, which the chain said it has removed from the menu across the board. ...

A sweetener commonly used in place of sugar, HFCS has been assailed by some as a contributor to the nation’s growing problem with obesity and heart disease. A study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation in May indicated that fructose-sweetened beverages led to higher levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.

However, the American Medical Association maintains that HFCS has the same caloric content as sugar and, once absorbed in the bloodstream, the sweeteners are undistinguishable. Both will contribute to obesity if too much is consumed, according to the AMA, and many dietitians remain unconvinced that favoring sugar over HFCS is justified.

Still, the anti-HFCS sentiment among consumers is growing and some operators are responding.

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