Guess what pops up in MacCornald's, Corner King fast foods?

William Atkins
Friday, 14 November 2008 21:17

Science - Health

A Hawaiian research study has found traces of corn in almost all products made in fast-food joints. Is there a kernel of truth to their findings? Read on to find out!


One of the authors of the study, A. Hope Jahren (a professor in the Department of Geography and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii) states, “We found that corn is not just a grain used in the production of fast food, it is the basis of all fast food." [U.S. News and World Report: “Traces of Corn Found in Almost All Fast Food”]

She adds, "Of the hundreds of fast-food meals we purchased across the country, there were only about 12 servings of food that could potentially be traced back to something besides corn." [U.S. News and World Report]

With corn, and its byproducts such as high-fructose corn syrup, one of the products contributing to the obesity epidemic in the United States and through most of the developed countries in the world, the finding sheds new light on what ingredients—many of them low in nutrient and cheap in price—make up fast-foods.

The Time article “Fast Food's Secret Ingredient: Corn” interviewed Dr. Jahren. Its author, Kate Pickert, asked Jahren “Why did you do this study? Was there a non-science motivation?”

She responded, “Half the restaurants in this country are fast food restaurants and they do a hundred billion dollars worth of business a year. For less than $3, you can get a full day's supply of calories. If you go into one of those restaurants, you will see a constant stream of people all day long. This isn't a study about fast food."

Jahren adds, "It's a study about a big portion of the American diet. I'd be glad to walk into many, many dinner times in many, many cities and sample everybody's plate, but this was a pretty good way of doing just that.”

Another question asked to Jahren appears on page two.