The origins of America's corn syrup dependency are rooted in deception
In the late 20th century, a significant shift occurred in the food industry of the United States, marked by the widespread adoption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This transformation was primarily driven by economic and agricultural factors.
The journey of HFCS began in the 1950s, but it was during the 1970s that Yoshiyuki Takasaki, a chemist, patented the process of converting ordinary dent corn into high-octane sweetener [5]. Around the same time, Dwayne Andreas, head of the food-processing company Archer-Daniels-Midlands Co., was building facilities to convert surplus corn into HFCS as a cheap alternative to cane sugar, in response to a corn glut [1].
The stage was set for HFCS's widespread adoption when Secretary of Agriculture Earl "Rusty" Butz overturned decades of agricultural policy, encouraging farmers to plant "from fence row to fence row" [1]. Dwayne Andreas helped convince President Richard Nixon that Butz's pursuit of overproduction was the way to go [1].
The turning point came in the 1980s when U.S. government-imposed sugar import quotas caused sugar prices to rise sharply. This economic pressure motivated food manufacturers to seek substitutes, and Coca-Cola Co. was one of the first to switch to HFCS in 1980 [2][3]. JM Smucker Co. also adopted HFCS, with their CEO believing it enhanced the flavor of their products [2][3].
The large-scale adoption of HFCS by major industries was further reinforced by U.S. government support for corn production via subsidies, making HFCS cheaper relative to cane sugar [3]. The Soviet grain embargo by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, following their invasion of Afghanistan, also made HFCS a much cheaper alternative [1].
By the mid-1980s, most soft drink manufacturers had switched to HFCS, and its consumption continued to increase until about 2005 [2][3]. However, health concerns and shifting consumer preferences have led to a decline in HFCS consumption since then [1].
In recent years, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has vowed to ban HFCS [1]. While the rise and fall of HFCS can be attributed to historical events, its impact on the food industry and public health continues to be a topic of discussion and research.
References:
[1] Mihm, S. (2007). "Sugar: A Bittersweet History". HarperCollins Publishers.
[2] Mihm, S., & Saffo, P. (2010). "Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance". Wiley.
[3] Helfand, M. (2016). "Sweet Deception: How the Food Industry Sacrifices Taste for Synthetic Sweeteners". HarperOne.
[4] Simmons, A. (2011). "Odd Taste: A History of Food Faddism". Reaktion Books.
[5] Smith, R. E. (1997). "The Rise and Fall of High-Fructose Corn Syrup". Journal of Food Science. 62(9), 1438-1445.
- In the arena of health and wellness, concerns regarding medical-conditions linked to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have led to a decline in its consumption since the mid-2000s.
- The food industry, particularly major players like Coca-Cola Co. and JM Smucker Co., adopted HFCS in the 1980s, sparked by economic pressures such as government-imposed sugar import quotas.
- Lifestyle magazines and health-focused publications in the industry of food and drink began discussing the implications of HFCS on health in the latter half of the 20th century.
- The science community has explored the effects of HFCS on health, tracing its origins back to the 1950s when chemist Yoshiyuki Takasaki patented a process for converting ordinary dent corn into high-octane sweetener.
