HFCS sweeteners become dangerous at high temperatures

Researchers have identified conditions that promote the formation of hazardous levels in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS - high-fructose corn syrup), a sweetener that is also used as food. for bees in America. The research results published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry also have implications for carbonated drinks and many other foods containing HFCS. The above toxin, HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural), is produced primarily when heating fructose.

In this study, Blaise LeBlanc and Gillian Eggleston and colleagues note the use of the popular HFCS as a sweetener in beverages and packaged foods. Some beekeepers for economic purposes also use it as food for bees to increase yield and amount of honey collected. When exposed to warm temperatures, HFCS can form HMF and kill bees.Some researchers believe that HMF is a contributing factor to the Collapsing Collision Disorder (CCD), a mysterious phenomenon that kills at least one-third of the bees in the United States.

New research shows that heat produces a toxin from HFCS that can kill bees. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The team measured the amount of HMF in different HFCS-containing products continuously for 35 days at different temperatures. As the temperature rises, HMF levels also increase steadily.In particular, the amount of HMF increases dramatically when the temperature reaches 1200F (ie approximately 500C).

'This data is very important for beekeepers, HFCS producers as well as for storing food in families and restaurants. Since HFCS is used as a sweetener in many packaged foods, this result is generally significant for human health. ' The study also suggests a link between HMF and DNA damage in the human body. In addition, HMF can decompose, forming new substances more harmful than itself.

Journal reference:
LeBlanc et al.Formation of Hydroxymethylfurfural in Domestic High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Its Toxicity to the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009;57 (16): 7369 DOI: 10.1021 / jf9014526