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Corn refiners see great value
in shift to ‘corn sugar’ as
new name for HFCS
A
marketing campaign obesity in the United States. uniquely vitrolic criticisms, the lowest fructose containing
waged by the Corn The group’s message is not Ms. Erickson said the reality of (caloric) sweetener on the mar-
Refiners Association to falling on deaf ears, Ms. Erick- public opinion is far more com- ket when you consider HFCS 42.
set the record straight about son said. plicated. When consumers are And HFCS 55 is lower than many
high-fructose corn syrup is “When we survey moms if asked on an aided basis what of the other sweeteners used in
achieving success, said Audrae they have seen our information ingredients they are trying to beverage products, those be-
Erickson, president of the C.R.A. about HFCS that is balanced, avoid, more than one third will ing fruit juice concentrates and
Still, adoption of the name “corn they are strongly favorable mention sugar and fewer than agave nectar. Nevertheless, we
sugar” will be an important step about HFCS as an ingredient 5% will mention HFCS, she said. still have these two words, high
for the industry to permanently — 60% to 70% — if it is eaten in “Shoppers aren’t walking fructose, on our label.”
improve perceptions. moderation,” she said. “We are through the front of the grocery As a result, the C.R.A. is opt-
In part one of an interview seeing great traction in some store thinking, ‘I’m not going ing for an approach rarely taken
with Food Business News (see of the other messaging, that it to buy HFCS today,’” she said. in the food industry — seeking
the Feb. 15 issue, Page 18), Ms. has the same calories as sugar, “There is a huge trend of less approval to use the name corn
Erickson said the campaign natural, contains no artificial added sugar in the diet. This sugar on package labels rather
is seeking to educate mothers ingredients, nutritionally the whole issue is a part of that. It than HFCS.
about the science behind the same. You have to keep your is an added sugar.” “Food and beverage makers
misinformation surrounding messages simple.” The latter issue is one that would have the option of say-
HFCS and the rising levels of While HFCS has attracted is more difficult to reverse but ing corn sugar or high-fructose
one Ms. Erickson said does not corn syrup,” she said.
rise to the same level of con- Consumer confusion offers a
cern for the corn refiners. powerful case to the F.D.A. for
The fact the C.R.A. is con- allowing the change, Ms. Erick-
vinced its position has a son said. Data demonstrating
strong foundation in science consumer confusion about HFCS
and that it has a growing track have been submitted to the F.D.A.
record of bringing consum- “When American adults were
ers along toward this position given the American Dietetic As-
is not the same as saying the sociation description for HFCS,
matter is resolved. 70% did not know what was be-
“We’ve been working hard, but ing described,” Ms. Erickson
there is still a perception that our said. “That’s probably the most
product is higher in fructose ... compelling case of the level of
because the name tells them that confusion F.D.A. requires when
it is,” Ms. Erickson said. “Yet it is you change the name there is
March 1, 2011 Reprinted with permission from Food Business News Magazine. FOODBUSINESS NEWS ® 21
W
When American
no health and nutrition impact, adul were given the
adults Ms. Erickson began her career
which the A.M.A. and A.D.A.
and many influencers agree,
American Dietetic after college with the U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture and
there is some confusion and the Association description then joined the Office of the
alternate name addresses the
confusion.”
for HFCS, 70% did not U.S. Trade Representative,
gaining familiarity with the
Ms. Erickson said the F.D.A. know what was being sugar program. The U.S.T.R.
has given permission to change determines individual sugar
ingredient/product names in described. import quotas.
only two instances — dried — Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association Immediately before com-
plums for prunes and canola ing to the C.R.A., Ms. Erickson
oil for low-erucic acid rapeseed was in a senior government
oil. Overall, Ms
Overall Ms. Erickson is objective
shopping objective. How they relations role at the American
“The F.D.A. also requires that pleased by how the proposed vote with their dollars proves Farm Bureau.
the new name be direct and name has been received in the that companies that have “All along, I’ve dedicated my
simple and explain the nature general public. switched and have engaged in career to food and agriculture,”
of the ingredient,” Ms. Erickson “Media response was great,” some marketing efforts should Ms. Erickson said. “I would
said. “So when we tested some she said. “Because when people know.” submit corn is one of the best
names, in each case we put take the time to look into the is- Ms. Erickson said the front ... by far as a food and non-food
the word corn, because people sue, HFCS is a sugar and it is of label bursts declaring a lack ingredient.”
need to know where it comes used in the food supply as an of HFCS ultimately, and some- While resolving a trade dis-
from, and the new name must alternative to sugar.” what paradoxically, will in the pute may seem to be a far cry
describe what the ingredient Asked when the campaign end help make the issue fade. from the current challenges
does or its basic composition.” will be able to cease and victory “I submit front of label will facing the C.R.A., Ms. Erick-
While the principal reason declared, David Knowles, who be more effective at that than son said the trade issue offered
for changing the name may be runs the communications cam- our campaign, because con- valuable preparation for the
to dispose of one that has been paign for the C.R.A., responded sumers are going to see there current difficulties facing the
irreversibly tarnished by mis- only when the alleged negatives is no difference in the calo- industry.
information, Ms. Erickson said of HFCS cease to be an issue in rie count whether it is sugar “In both cases, it was about
the new name would be part of the public domain. or HFCS,” she said. “That is solving a problem,” she said.
meeting consumer needs. “This will end when those going to do the work for us. “On the heels of that dispute
“When you read an ingredi- who are spending an inordi- We hope the food industry is emerged the role of HFCS in
ent panel you need a Ph.D.,” nate amount of time trumpeting not in that position, because the diet.”
she said. “We as a food industry what is inaccurate information, consumers don’t want to be Joining Ms. Erickson at the
need to step up. Let’s take the recognize there is nothing to misled.” C.R.A. to work on the HFCS
time to make food labels under- this story,” he said, adding that For food manufacturers con- campaign in 2008 was Mr.
standable. This is one step in reversing the longstanding de- cerned that the C.R.A. will not Knowles. A native of Baltimore,
the right direction.” cline in per capita consumption persist in its efforts, Ms. Erick- Mr. Knowles spent several
of HFCS is not a yardstick for son had words of reassurance. years in local television before
succes
success. “This is an issue we will con- joining the staff of the Illinois
“For most consumers today tinue to work on at a very high legislature. He has a master’s in
no
it is not an issue,” he said. “On level,” she said. “We are dedi- communications from the Uni-
b-t
the b-to-b side, the objective is cated to correcting the record versity of Illinois. Immediately
to sho there is no business
show on high-fructose corn syrup. before joining the C.R.A., Mr.
fo
case for switching from HFCS. Our customers can continue Knowles was doing work in the
The facts do not support it. to use this ingredient with con- public relations field.
Con
Consumers are not seeking fidence. We are making great “Our members are extremely
HFC
HFCS-free products as a headway in providing informa- dedicated to this issue,” Ms.
tion to consumers. We’re out Erickson said. “It garners their
there in an active way engaging highest levels of attention.”
On
O the b-to-b side, them with science-based infor- While it has lost share to
mation, so our customers can cane/beet sugar, HFCS has a
the objective is to show
the o continue to use this ingredient bright future, Ms. Erickson in-
there is no business with confidence.”
Ms. Erickson joined the
sisted.
“HFCS remains functionally
case for switching from C.R.A. in 2002. She was re- superior and economically su-
HFCS. The facts do not cruited to the organization be-
cause of her expertise in for-
perior to sugar,” Ms. Erickson
said. “That will never change,
support it.
. eign trade issues. At the time,
the corn wet milling industry
even with the swings in the
corn market we have experi-
— David Knowles, director of communications for the Corn was enmeshed in a bitter trade enced.” FBN
Refiners Association dispute with Mexico over ex- — L. Joshua Sosland
ports of HFCS into Mexico. josh@sosland.com
22 FOODBUSINESS NEWS ® Reprinted with permission from Food Business News Magazine. March 1, 2011