Partner Series—Dispelling the Myths About High Fructose Corn Syrup

Food Product Design Partner Series

"HFCS makes you fat?" Considerable press attention focusing on high fructose corn syrup has lacked scientific merit and has generated unfounded myths about this versatile sweetener made from corn. Consumer research has shown many Americans are not aware that high fructose corn syrup contains the same simple sugars as sucrose and honey. Notably, when consumers are presented with the facts, their views about high fructose corn syrup often change, resulting in a greater understanding of its important role in our nation’s food and beverage supply.

Put your consumer's minds at ease and change your conversations about HFCS. Attend this Webinar to learn about:

• The scientific evidence behind high fructose corn syrup
• Research examining the safety of high fructose corn syrup and its parity with other nutritive sweeteners
• High fructose corn syrup application benefits including enhancing fruit and spice flavors, moisture-retention in bran cereals and food bars, maintaining consistent flavors in beverages, and more
• Key elements of the Corn Refiner Association's consumer education campaign

Content developed and sponsored by:

Speakers:

Audrae Erickson is the president of the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) based in Washington. Since joining the CRA, Erickson has undertaken the challenge of resolving the Mexican sweetener dispute, addressing continued access for bio-engineered products in Europe, including corn gluten feed, and providing science-based information on processed corn products in the context of the national obesity debate. She represents the CRA interests as a cleared advisor on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee that advises USDA and USTR on trade issues affecting the food and agricultural sector. Before joining CRA, Erickson served as senior director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). In 1999, Erickson founded the Ag Trade Coalition to promote U.S. agricultural interests on World Trade Organization negotiating objectives. Prior to her 4-year tenure at AFBF, Erickson served as Director of Agricultural Affairs at the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) Office. Erickson was responsible for oversight of all trade issues pertaining to sweeteners, horticultural crops, biotechnology and sanitary and phytosanitary barriers to trade. She also oversaw agriculture policy matters related to the FTAA and the North American Free Trade Agreement and represented USTR at WTO Committee on Agriculture meetings. Before taking the position at USTR, Erickson served as an economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service where she specialized in trade and environment issues.

John S. White, Ph.D., is president and founder of WHITE Technical Research, an international consulting firm located in Argenta, Ill., serving the food and beverage industry since 1994. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of California at San Diego and a doctorate in biochemistry in 1978 from the University of Utah. He served a three-year, postdoctoral fellowship in biochemistry at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. White worked in food industry research and management for 13 years, developing a specialization in nutritive sweeteners. He is one of the foremost experts in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the result of 26 years of research on the production, functionality, applications and metabolism of this sweetener. He enjoys present and past affiliations with the American Council on Science and Health (Washington), the International Life Sciences Institute (Washington), the Institute of Food Technologists (Chicago), the American Chemical Society (Washington), the Calorie Control Council (Atlanta) and the Corn Refiners Association (Washington). In addition to nutritive sweeteners, he has published widely in the areas of proteins, peptides and enzymology.