Corn Syrup History

In the mid-1800s, hydrolysis (acid converting) was applied to cornstarch to produce corn syrup. Then, in the late 1960s, an enzymatic method of conversion was developed that increased the amount of fructose in the syrup which changed the proportion of fructose to glucose in corn syrup. Some of the glucose of the corn syrip is converted to fructose. Today, it is estimated that high fructose corn syrup is 40-90% fructose. The number of products on the market are into the thousands that contain high fructose corn syrup. Yogurt, baked goods, crackers, drinks, soda, pancake syrup, jams, ketchup, energy bars, lunch meat, cold cereals, canned fruit, salad dressings, hamburger and hotdog buns, prepackaged cake, bread, and muffins, etc. This information came from "High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Fibromyalgia Connection". For a person fructose intolerant (difficulty digesting), instead of digesting the fructose, they produce hydrogen and methane gas which causes pain, gas, bloating, gurgling or diarrhea. Fructose is the simple sugar found naturally in fruits and many vegetables and the main ingredient in high fructose corn syrup.