Corn Sugar or HFCS? The implications of changing a label

There's no doubt that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has faced a surge in public scrutiny over the past few years; domestic sales slipped 11% between 2002 and 2008 while sugar sales increased by 7%. In reaction to increasing public concern, the Corn Refiner's Association has asked that the FDA rename HFCS as "Corn Sugar" on product labels. This suggested change has drawn a lot of attention, including a great NYTimes article. The FDA's response is unpredictable.

On one side, relabeling HFCS as Corn Sugar can completely undue public awareness of the product.  While the health effect of HFCs opposed to cane sugar is still debated, HFCS often serves as a litmus test for one rather vague term- processed foods. This precedent of using HFCS as a tool for distinguishing unprocessed from processed foods has both long and short term effects. In the short term, it might help to guide consumers away from nutritionally empty products. In the long run, however, it drives unhealthy foods from using HFCS and even leads to advertising cane sugar like a health product. These long term effects are already at hand- products ranging from Jones Soda to Wheat Thins have made the switch.  If you think this trick will never fly, reconsider the public perception of organic products.



And this brings us to the argument for changing the name to Corn Sugar: it reminds people that HFCS' real health consequences come from it being a sugar. No more opting for one (cane) sugary soda just because it doesn't contain HFCS. It will put corn sugar and cane sugar on a level playing field, which may be just what we need. Of course, this assumption hinges on one of the most unpredictable elements in health policy- public perception. Will people see both corn sugar and cane sugar as the good ol' stuff grandma used to cook with, or as something that threatens health and should be moderated? Will people increase total sugar consumption or spread their current consumption across the two products more equally? These are tough questions that have no immediate answer. However, as the FDA reviews this name change it is off-base to expect them to review consumer perception and make their decision based on the good of society. Such a measure sets a bad standard for using names to indicate health. This review should, however, mandate a deeper look into the difference between HFCS and corn sugar. If HFCS is nutritionally different from sugar, it should have a different name than sugar.