Mercury Poisoning - Mercury Can Be Found in Many Everyday Foods

The wide-spread replacement of sugar with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has occurred in many processed foods such as soft drinks, bread, cereal, soup, yogurt, lunch meat and many more.

It has been found that dairy products that contain HFCS are the most likely products to contain mercury. Condiments and dressings are not far behind.

HFCS has already been liked to accelerated bone loss, obesity, and raised levels of triglycerides.

Tests on samples of HFCS in commercial applications showed that 45% contained mercury.

Another study, conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, tested 55 brand-name, popular products with HFCS as the first or second highest ingredient. These foods contained products made by Hershey's, Kraft, Quaker and Smucker's. Mercury was detected in nearly 33% of the products.

Product Name	Total mercury detected (ppt)	Laboratory detection limit (ppt)
Quaker Oatmeal to Go	350	80
Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce (Heinz)	300	100
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup	257	50
Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce	200	100
Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars	180	80
Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe	150	80
Market Pantry Grape Jelly	130	80
Smucker’s Strawberry Jelly	100	80
Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry	100	80
Hunt's Tomato Ketchup	87	50
Wish-Bone Western Sweet & Smooth	72	50
Coca-Cola Classic	62	50
Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt	60	20
Minute Maid Berry Punch	40	30
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink	30	20
Nesquik Chocolate Milk	30	20
Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk	30	20
Hy-Top Syrup	ND	50
Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red	ND	50
NOS High Performance Energy Drink	ND	50
A & W Root Beet	ND	30
Dr. Pepper	ND	30
Wyler's Italian Ices	ND	30
Market Pantry Ice Pops	ND	30
Kool-Aid Bursts Tropical Punch	ND	30
Kool-Aid Cherry Jammers	ND	30
Sunny-D	ND	30
Snapple Peach Iced Tea	ND	30
Powerade Orange	ND	30
Lipton Green Tea	ND	30
Zoo Juice Orange	ND	30
Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast	ND	30
Fanta Orange	ND	30
Pepsi	ND	30
7-Up	ND	30
Hi-C Wild Cherry	ND	30
Jell-O Strawberry	ND	100
Market Pantry Applesauce	ND	100
Mott's Applesauce	ND	100
Campbell's Tomato Soup	ND	100
Aunt Jemima Original Syrup	ND	100
Hershey's Caramel Syrup	ND	100
Hershey's Strawberry Syrup	ND	100
Market Pantry Thousand Island	ND	100
Smucker’s Strawberry Syrup	ND	100
Heinz Hotdog Relish	ND	100
Market Pantry Cranberry Sauce	ND	100
Market Pantry Tomato Soup	ND	100
Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce	ND	100
Mrs. Butterworth Original Syrup	ND	100
Heinz Tomato Ketchup	ND	100
Wish-Bone Thousand Island Dressing	ND	100
Welch's Grape Jelly	ND	100
Nesquik Strawberry Milk	ND	20
Land O’ Lakes Chocolate Milk	ND	20

The HFCS is contaminated with mercury by the use of caustic soda to separate the corn starch from the corn kernel. The caustic soda that is used is mercury-grade caustic soda and is produced in industrial chlorine or chlor-alkali factories. Since the mercury cells are used to produce the caustic soda, the caustic soda can become contaminated with mercury which contaminates the HFCS. There are still plants in the USA that use mercury cell technology even though most have converted to mercury-free technology.

Mercury is one of the most toxic elements and it accumulates in the body and is hard to remove. Mercury poisoning can show in memory loss, headaches, tremors, indigestion, heart disease, depression, confusion, mood swings, anger, irritability and insomnia.

Pregnant or nursing woman should be extra cautious as the child's development can be harmed by the mercury in the mother. It can effect their memory, attention-span, motor function, and language development.

The average American consumes about 12 teaspoons of HFCS every day, but teenagers may consume more than 20 teaspoons.

To avoid HFCS, and thereby mercury, you will need to stop drinking beverages sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup. This includes soft drinks and fruit juice. Buy 100% natural fruit juices.

You need to check your labels and avoid all foods and beverages that contain HFCS. Even croutons and coated nuts may contain HFCS.

Organic foods are a safe alternative and better for you.