A Rose by Any Other Name...

I've been seeing this article around the news sites I frequent today, and it even started with my trusty morning commute newspaper (Can you believe I read something in print?)

We've all heard of "high-fructose corn syrup" and probably heard that it is something we should stay away from in our diets. Well, it turns out the Corn Refiners Association knows that

Americans have a negative connotation with their sweet substance, and they are petitioning the FDA to change the name entirely to "corn sugar."

A study shows that 58 percent of Americans are "concerned that high-fructose corn syrup poses a health risk." Meanwhile, nutrition experts agree that, in terms of health, the effect of high-fructose corn syrup is no different than regular old sugar.

So, the FDA has six months to review the petition and decide whether the name can be changed on food labels.

The most interesting tidbit from the stories that I picked up were the (very few) food name changes from the past: the ingredient first called "low erucic acid rapeseed oil" became "canola oil" in the 1970s. And prunes? The FDA allowed them to be "dried plums."

What do you think? Does "corn sugar" sound less offensive than "high-fructose corn syrup?"