in keeping with my HFCS rant

They've found mercury in some high fructose corn syrup! Just in case you didn't know. I think it might take more than a lame commercial to fix this one...

Of 55 tested consumer products containing corn syrup, 1/3 of the contained mercury. In case you don't know, exposure to mercury over long periods of time causes brain damage. Perhaps you all remember Alice and Wonderland's "Mad Hatter"? Well, he was made because they used to dip hates in mercury to give them a shiny iridescence, but the fumes and absorption made him (and others) go nuts.

How did the mercury get in our syrup? Apparently, caustic soda, used to separate corn starch from the kernel, has been produced in chlorine plants which results in mercury contaimination.

Now, I worked in a chemistry lab. I know how careful you have to be with mercury. We had a hood completely dedicated to it... couldn't use the hood unless you were directly using the mercury or disposing of waste mercury. To "inactivate" mercury, there was a tedious process of chemical additives (like EDTA) and still it was not safe, persay. It was still considered a haz mat.

Interested in the products they tested? Here is a list http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refID=105040

Now, I am really considering kicking the corn syrup habit....