WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — High fructose corn syrup should be acquitted. It's not to blame for America's obesity any more than sugar or honey, proclaims the latest campaign on behalf of the often-maligned sweetener.
"A sugar is a sugar," the TV and print ads state. Pictured are a "lineup" that includes people costumed as an ear of corn, a sugar cube and a bear-shaped honey bottle.
The message: They're all the same, including number of calories.
The million-dollar ad blitz is designed to put an end to "blatant inaccuracies" surrounding high fructose corn syrup, said Justin Wilson, senior research analyst for the Center for Consumer Freedom.
"The bottom line is consumers will be the ones who ultimately get scammed. They will pay more and give themselves this illegitimate distraction from what causes obesity. Most Americans get the point that eating too much sweet food will make them fat," he said.
The Washington nonprofit's funding base includes major food and beverage companies, restaurants and individuals. Its Web site, www.sweetscam.com, has more information.
Industry representatives for cane sugar and honey say they resent being lumped together with high fructose corn syrup.
Melanie Miller of The Sugar Association, which represents all of the nation's cane and beet growers and processors, said attempts to position high fructose corn syrup as not different from and nutritionally equal to all-natural sugar are false and misleading.
She said many food and beverage makers, including Starbucks and Ocean Spray, are switching from high fructose corn syrup to sugar.
Bruce Wolk, marketing director at the National Honey Board, Firestone, Colo., said, "Honey does differ. It is a combination of glucose, fructose, maltose, a little bit of sucrose and a whole array of trace ingredients.
"My curiosity is why big powerful high fructose corn syrup is going after a sweetener that accounts for only 1.5 percent of consumption," Wolk said. "If it helps our market share, we are all for it."
Jeff Cronin of the Center for the Science in the Public Interest said, "While it is true that high fructose corn syrup is not nutritionally different from other sugars, most Americans are still consuming way too much of them."
Susan Salisbury writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: susan(underscore)salisbury(at)pbpost.com.