Anyone paying attention to the nutrition labels on food products over the past decade has certainly noticed the vilification of high fructose corn syrup (equally as vehement as the war against “trans fats”). But alongside nutritional relevance, an industry war regarding commerce and product identity is in progress between table sugar and high fructose corn syrup corporate representatives, as evidenced September 13 in a downtown Los Angeles court.
High fructose corn syrup, found as a sweetener in many processed foods such as soda, cookies, and breakfast cereal, has been credited with causing tooth cavities, heart disease, obesity, and other health maladies by opponents. To counteract plummeting profits, the Corn Refiners Association started an arduous process of appealing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change nutrition information on products to read “corn sugar” as opposed to “high fructose corn syrup.” Of course a group of sugar harvesters, with C&H Sugar Company at the front line, is not happy with the move and has filed suit with the stated intention of preventing health deception and fraudulent ad campaigns. On the list of defendants are: Corn Products International, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Penford Products, Cargill, the Corn Refiners Association, and Roquette America.
But from a corporate standpoint, each party is attempting to take ground in a precarious fight that could result in the slow extinction of one of the industry’s key product ingredients. If you need aggressive representation during business litigation, call the Los Angeles business litigation lawyer Art Matthews with The Matthews Law Firm, Inc. at 800-449-4850 for a complimentary case review now.