Los Angeles — The Food and Drug Administration has cautioned the corn industry over its use of the term “corn sugar” to describe high fructose corn syrup before the proposed new name has received regulatory approval.
The move comes after the processed syrup courted controversy for its role in America’s obesity crisis and diabetes epidemic.
The Corn Refiners Association is seeking permission to use “corn sugar” as an alternative name for the widely used liquid sweetener currently labeled on most sodas and packaged foods as high fructose corn syrup.
In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, FDA labeling director Barbara Schneeman wrote to the Corn Refiners Association saying she was concerned with two of the group’s websites, both of which use the terms high fructose corn syrup and “corn sugar” interchangeably.