Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

HealthDay News -- Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies.

HFCS has replaced sugar as the sweetener in many beverages and foods such as breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80 percent more HFCS than average.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga

Some Estrogen With Your Energy Drink?

Study finds Bisphenol A -- the hormone-mimicking chemical -- in "significant" concentrations in virtually all sodas and energy drinks tested. The highest levels were found in energy drinks.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, since it's been widely reported that Bisphenol A is commonly used in the linings of cans -- but the emphasis has always been on canned foods, and the results are especially startling, given that the average person, worldwide, consumes more than 22 gallons of soft drinks every year. (Yikes!)
Canada has done more to crack down on Bisphenol A than any other nation. It banned baby bottles with Bisphenol A in baby bottles, while the U.S. has dithered on regulating the chemical, which mimics estrogen. While the National Toxicology Program has raised concerns about Bisphenol A's potential to disrupt the normal development of fetuses and babies, and the Environmental Protection Agency has been criticized for failing to consider the cumulative effect of hormone-disrupting chemicals that Americans are routinely exposed to, the Food and Drug Administration has yet to regulate the use of Bisphenol A.

National Zoo Celebrates Birth of Rare Clouded Leopards

Notoriously difficult to breed, two new clouded leopards are born at the National Zoo’s research facility

Rarely has a birth been so anticipated, or the wait so suspenseful. On March 24, for the first time in 16 years, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center celebrated the birth of clouded leopard cubs.

The smallest of the big cats, clouded leopards weigh just 30 to 50 pounds and are about five feet long—although approximately half of that is tail. Their short legs, long tails and oversized paws help them balance on small branches, and their flexible ankles allow them to run down trees headfirst. The cloud-like pattern of their coats gives them their name, and helps them disappear into the shadows of the forest.