The Bitter with the Sweet The story behind the corn industry's cloying ad blitz

Put that fruit juice down and grab a Coke.

Haven't you heard? High-fructose corn syrup -- the ubiquitous sweetener found in everything from soft drinks to ketchup -- isn't bad for you at all. It's true, because I saw it on TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5aSUcU3YA

Back in June, the Corn Refiners Association embarked on what the Wall Street Journal described as an 18-month, $20-30 million campaign to "rehabilitate the reputation of the longtime sweetener." The blitz includes full-page ads in more than a dozen newspapers and prime-time television spots.

The industry is evidently worried about losing its grip over a key consumer demographic: kids. To stave off that unhappy fate, the corn refiners are currying favor with those who monitor kids' food choices. "The lion's share of the ads will run on media that specifically target moms," the Journal reported.

It's easy to see why the industry is fretting. As the accompanying chart shows, corn sweetener consumption peaked in 1998 and has been dropping since, pressured by growing concern over diabetes and obesity. Yet high-fructose corn syrup remains the dominant U.S. sweetener -- Americans consume about 50 pounds of it per capita every year, versus a little more than 40 pounds of refined sugar.

And corn-processing powerhouse Archer Daniels Midland -- which owns about a third of the domestic HFCS market-- still makes considerable money from it. In the year ended June 30, 2008, sweeteners delivered $529 million to ADM's bottom line. That's more than its much-ballyhooed ethanol division brought in ($432 million) and about a sixth of the company's overall operating profit.

Much More: http://www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/10/17/

Why isn't the FDA and FTC getting involved with this propaganda campaign?

She started cussing in 3 languages when they last showed it. All three languages used variations of the figurative meaning of the word "Bullshit."

and I can't think of any kid, nevermind their parent(s), who is going to measure out 2/3 cup of FrustoseFlakes to make sure they are getting a healthy serving.

That's just the way the ruling class wants us.