Dateline August 4, 2010 - this article, "Cancer Cells Use Fructose to Grow: Don't Blame Us, Says Corn Lobby" appeared in the online version of CBS News - Health section. The link was emailed to me by family members who knew I started this blog yesterday. Timing is everything. Included in the article is a link to the original report found in the August 1 issue of the journal "Cancer Research." It will give you the undigested research report should your scientific knowledge prefer.
The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) issued a statement regarding this study.
My 'translation' of their statement: "We have nothing to gain and everything to lose [read as $$$$$$ - billions of them] if there is even a particle of truth in this scientific study. Therefore we will vehemently make excuses and find ways to dissuade the public from heeding the danger signals flagged in this study."
For your consideration: If you or I were producing a product that had even the slightest hint of being found dangerous for public consumption, would we not want to know the truth and then act upon that truth, whether it meant losing billions of dollars or not? It seems blatantly immoral that the CRA would set off a smoke screen in the faces of the public and the scientists - professionals who have little to gain other than a short-lived notoriety for their good works. It is unconscionable that the CRA is downplaying important health concerns regarding consumers.
Tomorrow: Checking the ingredient labels on our pantry shelves.
AND FURTHERMORE...understanding and eliminating the effects of high fructose corn syrup
You can bet that right now they have their scientists going over the research with a fine tooth comb, looking for any tiny error. If they find it they will demand the journal print a retraction. I saw this happen with Herbert Needleman's very important research on childhood lead poisoning and the lead industry. It set the public health community back nearly a decade.
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"Losing billions of dollars" also means shutting down factories - putting people out of a job. Reducing demand on raw materials - hurting the farming industry. Investors would be left with worthless stocks - potentially destabilizing the world economy. The CRA has other areas of responsibility besides just health concerns.
The CRA's concern about the validity of the study is sound. All scientific studies should be reviewed closely and questioned. This is crucial to good scientific research. One study's results does not make solid proof.
Sugar (in any form), when eaten in large quantities, is bad for us. If the CRA is immoral then I also question the morality of Hostess, Mrs. Fields, Baskin-Robbins, and the evil Ben & Jerry's. Sugar pushers...all of them.
<Devil's advocate mode off
(I'm sorry Ben & Jerry's. I didn't really mean it. Can I still eat your ice cream?)
Education in how and what to eat is most important. Keep doing what you're doing. :)
I agree, Bill - the food industry (particularly the manufacturers of foods that contain sweeteners) are in a dilemma of major proportions. As long as 'we' know and avoid the things that are harmful (and there have been LOTS of studies on HFCS - not just this one) we are the winners. If enough people become aware [purpose of blog] the food industry will gradually capitulate without major disruption of the economy. I don't think this will happen anytime soon - because most families with two working parents don't have the time or the inclination to give much thought to the makeup of the foods they're buying - at least not until something drastic happens to the health of one or more of their children - such as diabetes.
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