On June 24, the radio program Marketplace aired a story about high fructose corn syrup. Recently, corn syrup has been blamed for the obesity epidemic that is plaguing the country.

Not only have nutritionists and public health groups targeted the product, but mother nature as well. With recent floods covering the Midwest, corn prices have sky-rocketed leaving many consumers unable to afford the climbing prices.

In turn, corn syrup producers felt they needed new ways to market their product. Their solution was a new 18 month, $30 million dollar ad campaign to promote corn syrup. To see an example of the Corn Refiners Association Campaign, visit: www.sweetsuprise.com

To read more on the featured Marketplace story, please visit:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org//display/web/2008/06/23/corn_syrup/?refid=0

This story raises many questions including:

Do public health organizations have an obligation to present counter arguments to marketing campaigns such as www.sweetsuprise.com?

Do you feel that corn syrup producers or the consumers are to blame for the obesity epidemic?