为什么欧洲禁止高果糖玉米糖浆?

很多人对欧盟关于高果糖玉米糖浆的规定有误解。与普遍观点相反，高果糖玉米糖浆在欧洲并没有被禁止。高果糖玉米糖浆在这个地区被称为异葡萄糖或葡萄糖果糖糖浆，高果糖玉米糖浆的使用受到限制，因为它处于生产限额之下。

高果糖玉米糖浆的生产配额旨在确保欧盟所有地区的农业/经济公平发展，与许多公共卫生当局对食品供应中高果糖玉米糖浆扩散的健康担忧无关。欧盟配额于2005年首次设立，2007年修订，2011年进一步修订。2011年的改动是为了允许生产更多的高果糖玉米糖浆，因为目前欧盟的需求超过了供应。

不过，和美国一样,there is debate in the EU about the role of high fructose corn syrup in the spreading obesity epidemic, production quotas on the product were eased in 2011 "in order to improve the sector's efficiency and competitiveness." Those sectors are the sugar and high-fructose corn syrup sectors, according to a 2010 report of the European Commission on Common Agricultural Policy.

在美国,consumption of high fructose corn syrup increased dramatically from 1970 to the present day, with a 1,000 percent increase from 1970 to 1990 alone, according to "Consumer Reports." The product is found in many beverages, including nearly all non-diet soda brands, as well as breakfast cereals, salad dressings, cheese spreads, yogurts, jams, peanut butter and other foods. A study published in 2009 by multiple high-level researchers from the U.S., Europe, New Zealand and Australia in "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition" specifically mentioned high fructose corn syrup as contributing to worldwide obesity. Though the product has not been found to be significantly worse for the body than sugar in current research, its lower relative cost to sugar and its use in so many different products, which makes avoiding its consumption challenging, has led some authorities to question whether it should be regulated differently than other sweeteners.

2004年，美国儿科学会(American Academy of Pediatrics)宣布，学校不应该提供汽水，因为它含有大量的玉米糖浆。从那时起，许多地区都采纳了这一建议。最终，研究人员在2009年的《食品科学与营养评论》研究报告中指出，高果糖玉米糖浆只是导致肥胖的一系列问题中的一部分。缺乏体育活动等环境因素，加上强有力的食品营销策略，意味着每个城市、州、国家和地区必须确定哪些法规最有效地保持其人口健康。目前，这还不包括任何国家或地区禁止使用高果糖玉米糖浆。