Question

1. What is High Fructose Corn Syrup? When was it invented and by whom? What properties does it have that make it so useful to food manufacturers.
2. According to Pollan, what factors have led to America's obesity epidemic and what does he suggest are underlying causes?
3. Describe what happens in the body when someone has type 2 diabetes. How does it occur? Why would a diet high in refined starches and sugars potentially cause the disease?

Answer 1

1. High fructose corn starch is a sweetener which is made from corn starch.

It was invented after the creation of enzyme glucose isomerase. In corn syrup, composition of glucose is rearranged by this enzyme into fructose. It was invented by Richard O. Marshall and Earl R. Kooi.

High fructose corn starch has a higher moisture control than other sweeteners, thus it improves quality and texture of baked, processed foods and also maintain long shelf life. In addition, its expense less than sucrose.

2. According to pollan, processed foods filled with corn is responsible for obesity. In agricultural industry, production of corn is very high which makes its price low and eventually contributing to obesity pandemic in America.