For my public controversy essay, I will be talking about whether or not high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS for short, should be considered a ‘natural’ product. Many people believe that it is natural because its ingredients start out as raw individual materials, however, it is the manufacturing process that transforms this artificial sweetener's chemical composition. The FDA stated that “HFCS may be labeled ‘natural’ when synthetic fixing agents do not come into contact with it during manufacturing.” However, how can it be labeled as natural when its chemical bonds are broken and rearranged in this process of manufacturing? My argument is that it cannot be considered natural because of the complex changes that it has to undergo in order to become the final product. The process for making HFCS is more complex than the one used to make dextrose, another processed sweetener used by food companies, which is not considered natural by the FDA.
Sources:
Crowley, Laura. "HFCS is natural, says the FDA in a letter." (2008): n.pag. Web. 9 Nov 2011.
June, Geraldine. United States. Department of Health and Human Services. College Park, MD 20740: Food and Drug Administration, 2008. Print.
Morran, Chris. "Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Considered A Natural Ingredient?." The Consumerist. N.p., 05/05/2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2011.
The logic of your argument depends on your reader understanding the process made to produce high fructose corn syrup, and why that process is "more complex" than the one used to make dextrose. In order to convince them, then, you'll have to carefully explain the relevant steps in the process using language that a non-specialized reader could understand and follow. What sources could you research in order to find out more about the chemical process?
ReplyDelete