Thursday, August 28, 2008
The High Fructose Scam
We know that food companies use high fructose corn syrup because regular sugar prices are kept artificially high in the U.S. by import restrictions. We've heard tell - over here, often from my wife, Lisa - that HFCS is really bad for you. Companies are picking up on this, but in a way that leaves me shaking my head. The other day we were in a Stop & Shop grocery store. Now, we've given up on Heinz ketchup because of the aforementioned HFCS. We had drifted over to the small natural/organic section of the store when Lisa noticed a tiny bottle of Heinz ketchup marked "organic." And, no, it didn't have HFCS. What it did have was a price tag at least double per weight of what you'd get elsewhere.
I know organic produce can be more expensive than regular. (Heck, I happen to know from practical experience that organic chicken feed is twice as much as regular.) But ketchup is not primarily sweetener. Why can't Heinz and other companies raise the product price a little and drop the HFCS? It's not like companies haven't been raising food prices anyway. Just how much more expense would it be to make ketchup with sugar as the sweetener?
I know organic produce can be more expensive than regular. (Heck, I happen to know from practical experience that organic chicken feed is twice as much as regular.) But ketchup is not primarily sweetener. Why can't Heinz and other companies raise the product price a little and drop the HFCS? It's not like companies haven't been raising food prices anyway. Just how much more expense would it be to make ketchup with sugar as the sweetener?
