Answer: You're referring to a study in the Jan. 26 issue of Environmental Health that found contamination with mercury, a poison to the brain and nervous system, in nine of 20 foods with high-fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup has largely replaced cane sugar in many common foods from soft drinks to ketchup. The research was done in 2005, and representatives from the Corn Refiners Association say high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) makers stopped using mercury in production years ago.

Why would mercury be used at all? Apparently, some HFCS manufacturers use or have used a mercury-based caustic chemical to separate corn starch from the corn kernel. And while the refiners association states that mercury is no longer used in HFCS production, the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy did its own small, regional study in fall 2008. It tested 55 name-brand foods and beverages where HFCS was the first or second ingredient. It found mercury in the following 17 samples: Quaker Oatmeal to Go; Jack Daniel's Barbecue Sauce; Hershey's Chocolate Syrup; Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce; Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars; Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe; Market Pantry Grape Jelly; Smucker's Strawberry Jelly; Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry; Hunt's Tomato Ketchup; Wishbone Western Sweet and Smooth; Coca-Cola Classic; Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt; Minute Maid Berry Punch; Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink; Nesquik Chocolate Milk, and Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk.

Study weaknesses are: (1) The type of mercury was not identified - elemental mercury is much less toxic than methylmercury; (2) The levels detected all appear to be well below the Environmental Protection Agency's safe-exposure level; and (3) only one sample of each product was tested. (Source: IATP.org)

FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said he didn't believe the study in Environmental Health provided "any specific information or sufficient analysis to reach the conclusion that there is any appreciable risk from this potential exposure from mercury." Nonetheless, if you have concerns about mercury contamination of food, contact the FDA and your local congressman.