THIS INFORMATION IS FROM DAN MURPHY, DC AND SUBSCRIPTION TO HIS NEWSLETTER IS AVAILABLE AT www.danmurphydc.com
January 26, 2009;8:2
Mercury from chlor-alkali plants:
Measured concentrations in food product sugar
Environmental Health
Renee Dufault, Blaise LeBlanc, Roseanne Schnoll, Charles Cornett, Laura
Schweitzer, David Walling, Jane Hightower, Lyn Patrick and Walter J Lukiw
FROM ABSTRACT
Mercury cell chlor-alkali products are used to produce thousands of other products
including food ingredients such as citric acid, sodium benzoate, and high fructose
corn syrup.
High fructose corn syrup is used in food products to enhance shelf life.
A pilot study was conducted to determine if high fructose corn syrup contains
mercury, a toxic metal historically used as an anti-microbial.
High fructose corn syrup samples were collected from three different manufacturers
and analyzed for total mercury. The samples were found to contain levels of
mercury ranging from below a detection limit of 0.005 to 0.570 micrograms
mercury per gram of high fructose corn syrup.
Average daily consumption of high fructose corn syrup is about 50 grams per
person in the United States. With respect to total mercury exposure, it may be
necessary to account for this source of mercury in the diet of children and sensitive populations.
THESE AUTHORS ALSO NOTE:
Chlorine and caustic soda are produced at chlor-alkali plants using mercury
cells or the increasingly popular membrane technology that is mercury free and
more energy-efficient.
Worldwide there are approximately 50 mercury cell chlor-alkali plants in
operation, 8 of which are in the US. Each plant has an average of 56 mercury cells,
each containing about 8,000 pounds of mercury.
In 2003 the EPA reported that approximately seven tons of mercury were missing from each plant in 2000. “Mercury is a danger to unborn children whose developing brains can be damaged if they are exposed to low dose microgram exposures in the womb.” “Since mercury is a potent neurological toxin, these unaccounted for mercury losses from the chlor-alkali industry are of concern as they could be a source of exposure for humans, wildlife, and the environment.”2
An Environmental Health Officer at the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) conducted an investigation to find the missing mercury in the chlor-alkali
industry by contacting Vulcan Chemicals’ of Wisconsin because it was the only
chemical company to find its missing mercury. “This information led to the
realization that mercury residue may be found in all products produced by the
mercury cell chlor-alkali industry.”
Mercury grade caustic soda and hydrochloric acid are primarily used by the
high fructose corn syrup industry. Even “organic” high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
uses both mercury grade caustic soda and membrane grade caustic soda in their
manufacturing process to enhance the shelf life of HFCS. Food manufacturers, to stabilize food products, and enhance product shelf life, use the sweetener HFCS.
Making HFCS requires several chemicals, including caustic soda, hydrochloric
acid, alpha-amylase, gluco-amylase, isomerase, filter aid, powdered carbon,
calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. The caustic soda and hydrochloric acid
are used to adjust the pH of the product.
Should mercury grade caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, or sodium hypochlorite
(derived from mercury grade chor-alkali chemicals) be used in the milling process,
it seems plausible that mercury would end up in the final product – HFCS.
RESULTS
Of the 20 HFCS samples analyzed:
“It clearly and reliably demonstrated significant levels of mercury in 45% of
the HFCS samples analyzed.”
Key aspects of the HFCS manufacturing process are considered proprietary.
“When university researchers outside of the government attempted to obtain
additional HFCS samples direct from the manufacturer they were unable to get
them. However, with 45% of the HFCS samples containing mercury in this study, it
would be prudent and perhaps essential for public health that additional research be conducted by the FDA or some other public health agency to determine if products containing HFCS also contain mercury.”
“In 2004, several member states of the European Union reported finding
mercury concentrations in beverages, cereals and bakery ware, and sweeteners –
all of which may contain HFCS.”
The “FDA does not currently have a mercury surveillance program for food
ingredients such as added sugars or preservatives manufactured with mercury
grade chlor-alkali products.”
Average daily US consumption of HFCS for the year 2007 was approximately
49.8 g per person. High-end consumers of beverages sweetened with HFCS will
ingest more HFCS than the average person.3
“A recent study of dietary fructose consumption among US children and
adults indicate that fructose consumption by Americans represents ten percent
(10%) of calories consumed in a 24-hour period.”
“Product labels listing HFCS as a first or second ingredient may contain
detectable levels of mercury if the HFCS was manufactured with mercury grade
chlor-alkali chemicals.”
These authors estimate that the potential average daily total mercury
exposure from HFCS could be as high as 28.4 microg mercury. [WOW!]
Daily exposure of mercury from dental amalgams is significantly lower than
28.4 microg averaging between 0.79 to 1.91 microg, and “Canada and other
countries do not recommend the use of mercury amalgam in pregnant women or
children.”
HFCS “is often added to a product in addition to sugar presumably to enhance
product shelf life.”
“HFCS is presently ubiquitous in processed foods and therefore significantly
consumed by people all over the world.”
“Mercury in any form – either as water-soluble inorganic salt, a lipid-soluble
organic mercury compound, or as metallic mercury- is an extremely potent
neurological toxin.” [Important]
“Organic mercury compounds such as methylmercury that are fat-soluble
and readily cross the blood brain barrier are especially damaging to developing
nervous tissues.”
Brain development is related to cumulative early life exposure to mercury.
These early life exposures include the following sources:
1) Maternal fish consumption during pregnancy [methylmercury]
2) Thimerosal in certain vaccines (ethylmercury)
3) Dental amalgam [inorganic mercury]
“While the US government only regulates methylmercury in fish, several other
governments regulate all forms of mercury in all foodstuffs.”
“In the US, the current action level of 1 microg methylmercury/g fish or
seafood was set in 1977 during court proceedings of the United States of American
v. Anderson Seafoods, Inc. The data used to determine the action level in fish came from a poisoning incident that occurred in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s regime in 1971–1972.”
“There has never been a blinded, placebo, controlled study published giving
humans mercury or methylmercury, nor would this kind of study be ethically
considerable.” 4
“Quantitative information on long-term effects of inorganic [found in dental
amalgams] mercury compounds in humans does not exist.” Inorganic mercury
compounds react with DNA and are clastogenic [agents that induce disruption or
breakage of chromosomes].
“Because the mechanisms of these [mercury] reactions remain unknown, it is
currently impossible to establish a no adverse-effect-level for mercury in humans.”
“Sensitive populations such as neonates lacking the ability to efficiently
excrete mercury or individuals that retain mercury in their body due to impairments
in detoxification [glutathione] pathways may not be protected by any exposure
limit.”
CONCLUSION:
“Mercury is widely accepted to be a neurotoxic heavy metal.”
“The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that minimizing any
form of mercury exposure is essential for optimal child health and nervous system
development.”
Mercury containing chemicals may be used to make HFCS. Therefore, food
products containing HFCS may also have mercury contamination.
“With daily per capita consumption of HFCS in the US averaging about 50
grams and daily mercury intakes from HFCS ranging up to 28 microg, this potential
source of mercury may exceed other major sources of mercury especially in highend consumers of beverages sweetened with HFCS.”
KEY POINTS
1) Mercury is a “potent neurological toxin.” “Mercury is a danger to unborn
children whose developing brains can be damaged if they are exposed to low dose
microgram exposures in the womb.”
2) Mercury is used to produce thousands of products including food ingredients
such as citric acid, sodium benzoate, and high fructose corn syrup.
3) High fructose corn syrup is used in food products to enhance shelf life. It is
often produced with mercury in part because mercury is a preservative.
4) This study only looked at the mercury content of high fructose corn syrup and
found some samples to be significantly high in mercury content. These authors had
trouble in their analysis because the companies that make high fructose corn syrup
are reluctant to share their processing information and contents, claiming such
information to be proprietary.
5) Even “organic” high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) uses mercury in the
manufacturing process to enhance the shelf life of HFCS.
6) HFCS is used as a sweetener by food manufacturers. It also stabilizes food
products and enhances product shelf life.
7) This study “clearly and reliably demonstrated significant levels of mercury in
45% of the HFCS samples analyzed.”
8) “In 2004, several member states of the European Union reported finding
mercury concentrations in beverages, cereals and bakery ware, and sweeteners –
all of which may contain HFCS.”
9) The “FDA does not currently have a mercury surveillance program for food
ingredients such as added sugars or preservatives manufactured with mercury
grade chlor-alkali products.”
10) “A recent study of dietary fructose consumption among US children and
adults indicate that fructose consumption by Americans represents ten percent
(10%) of calories consumed in a 24-hour period.”
11) “Product labels listing HFCS as a first or second ingredient may contain
detectable levels of mercury if the HFCS was manufactured with mercury grade
chlor-alkali chemicals.”
12) These authors estimate that the potential average daily total mercury
exposure from HFCS could be as high as 28.4 microg mercury. [WOW!]
13) Daily exposure of mercury from dental amalgams is significantly lower than
28.4 microg averaging between 0.79 to 1.91 microg, and “Canada and other
countries do not recommend the use of mercury amalgam in pregnant women or
children.”
14) “HFCS is presently ubiquitous in processed foods and therefore significantly
consumed by people all over the world.”
15) “Mercury in any form – either as water-soluble inorganic salt, a lipid-soluble
organic mercury compound, or as metallic mercury- is an extremely potent
neurological toxin.” [Important]
16) “Organic mercury compounds such as methylmercury that are fat-soluble and
readily cross the blood brain barrier are especially damaging to developing nervous
tissues.”
17) Brain development is related to cumulative early life exposure to mercury.
These early life exposures include the following sources:
A)) Maternal fish consumption during pregnancy [methylmercury]
B)) Thimerosal in certain vaccines (ethylmercury)
6
C)) Dental amalgam [inorganic mercury]
18) “In the US, the current action level of 1 microg methylmercury/g fish or
seafood was set in 1977 during court proceedings of the United States of American
v. Anderson Seafoods, Inc. The data used to determine the action level in fish came
from a poisoning incident that occurred in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s regime in
1971–1972.”
19) “There has never been a blinded, placebo, controlled study published giving
humans mercury or methylmercury, nor would this kind of study be ethically
considerable.”
20) “Quantitative information on long-term effects of inorganic [found in dental
amalgams] mercury compounds on humans does not exist.” Inorganic mercury
compounds react with DNA and are clastogenic [agents that induce disruption or
breakage of chromosomes].
21) “Sensitive populations such as neonates lacking the ability to efficiently
excrete mercury or individuals that retain mercury in their body due to impairments
in detoxification [glutathione] pathways may not be protected by any exposure
limit.”
22) “The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that minimizing any
form of mercury exposure is essential for optimal child health and nervous system
development.”
23) Mercury containing chemicals may be used to make HFCS. Therefore, food
products containing HFCS may also have mercury contamination.
24) “With daily per capita consumption of HFCS in the US averaging about 50
grams and daily mercury intakes from HFCS ranging up to 28 microg, this potential
source of mercury may exceed other major sources of mercury especially in highend
consumers of beverages sweetened with HFCS.”
COMMENTS FROM DAN MURPHY
To understand more about the dangers of mercury, the book Diagnosis Mercury:
Money, Politics, and Poison by Jane Hightower MD (2009) is excellent.
Based upon this study (Dufault), I believe that any product containing high fructose
corn syrupy should be avoided. This included most sodas, catsups, etc.
Additionally, numerous studies have linked high fructose corn syrup to both the
obesity epidemic and escalating diabetes rates in the United States.
