Litigation Documents Reveal Debate over HFCS “Natural” Campaign

Among the tens of thousands of documents reportedly made public in
advance of a hearing in litigation pitting the sugar industry against companies
that make high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are emails that purportedly
show some HFCS company executives were concerned about rebranding and
advertising the substance as “natural” and “nutritionally the same as sugar.”
Some apparently suggested that it made the industry appear disingenuous
and could invite litigation.

According to an attorney representing the HFCS manufacturers, the emails
simply reflect a healthy debate. He reportedly said, “What the emails clearly
show is the corn refiners engaged in a rigorous internal discussion about the
public relations aspects of what HFCS is called, while never wavering in their
core belief that high fructose corn syrup is both natural and nutritionally
equivalent to sugar.”

Another email authored in April 2009 by the then-president of the Corn Refiners Association reportedly defended the campaign but said that the trade association’s “sponsorship of this campaign (should) remain confidential.” See NBCNews.com, January 24, 2014.

Issue 511