Consumption of corn syrup among Americans dropped to a 20-year low and now the Corn Refiner’s Association is hoping a change in the product name may help them recover from low sales. Are you in support of the name change?
Tuesday, they applied to amend the term from “corn syrup” to “corn sugar” on food labels. And while it could take two years for the Food and Drug Administration to make their decision, the association is already using the new term in advertising in hopes of changing the negative connotation consumers have about their product.
“It has been highly disparaged and highly misunderstood,” said Audrae Erickson, president of the CRA.
Because consumption of full-calorie soda, which is predominantly sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, is linked with obesity, many consumers hold corn syrup responsible for the negative consequence, despite no evidence that corn syrup is a worse sweetener than regular sugar.
Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says people should consume less sugar, regardless of what type it is.
“Soda pop sweetened with sugar is every bit as conducive to obesity as soda pop sweetened with high fructose corn syrup,” he said.
This isn’t the first time a food producer has attempted to alter negative product connotations in amending their product’s name. “Low eurcic acid rapeseed oil” gained popularity since its name change to “canola oil” in 1988.
As a consumer, what do you think of the proposed name change? Is the issue the name of the product, or do you think Americans are trying to avoid all types of sugars altogether in an attempt to lead healthier lives?
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