High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn found in many of today's soft drinks, cookies, cakes and breads. The product is manufactured in a complex process and is not found naturally in corn.New York Times: A Sweetener With a Bad Rap (2006)

A recent study shows that some foods and drinks rich in high fructose corn syrup may contain high levels of mercury. The report, published by Minneapolis-based nonprofit Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, shows detectable levels of mercury in 17 out of 55 tested products. Despite the results, the researchers are not warning consumers to avoid the products tested, nor are they certain what form of mercury the products contain.WebMD: Mercury in High-Fructose Corn Syrup? (January 27, 2009)

• In a 2007 study by researchers from Rutgers University, 11 soft drinks were tested that were sweetened with HFCS. High levels of reactive carbonyls were found in the study group. Reactive carbonyls have been associated with diabetic complications such as tissue damage. These compounds were not detected in the blood of study participants who consumed soda sweetened with sucrose (table sugar).http://blogs.webmd.com/healthy-recipe-doctor/2008/01/high-fructose-corn-syrup-new-bad-boy-in.html

One of the problems with high fructose corn syrup is that it consists of monosaccharides that enter the body's metabolism without regulation, creating spikes in blood sugar. The most commonly used HFCS is HF 55, which is 55% fructose and 45% glucose, both of which are monosaccharides that are produced by the breakdown of the disaccharide sucrose (glucose and fructose linked together) during manufacture. Because sucrose is a disaccharide, it must be broken down into monosaccharides before it is used. Sucrose intake into the metabolism is regulated by the enzyme sucrase in the body, and it therefore causes less of a rise in blood sugar levels. Sucrose is also known to have a lower glycemic index than glucose, meaning that for equivalent intake amounts, it causes less of a rise in blood glucose levels.http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html

Because of the unregulated nature of HFCS in the body's metabolism and the parallel rise in obesity with the rise in HFCS use in processed foods, it has been blamed for the increase in obesity and hypertension in the general population. One study showed that a diet with 74 grams of daily fructose intake resulted in a 28-87% increase in risk of high blood pressure. Regarding obesity, several recent studies seem to contradict earlier research results. For example, the American Medical Association concluded in June 2009 that it is not worse than sugar. However, some doctors say that these studies were conducted by groups that profit from the sale of HFCS and should be taken with caution.The Post and Courier: Sweetener not yet off the hook (January 19, 2009) http://www.physorg.com/news176100729.html http://www.physorg.com/news176100729.html