Corn oil products can claim heart benefit

Manufacturers of corn oil and foods containing the fat can now promote their products as a way to possibly reduce the risk of heart disease, U.S. health regulators said in a letter released on Tuesday. The Food and Drug Administration, responding to a request from ACH Food Companies Inc., said there was enough evidence to support such a qualified claim, as long as consumers were not misled. Its products include Mazola corn oil, Karo light corn syrup and Argo corn starch.

To qualify for new corn oil claim, the agency said products must be low in cholesterol and saturated fat, among other criteria. Pure corn oil as well as vegetable oil blends and spreads, salad dressings, shortenings and certain baked goods containing the oil are eligible for the claim. Those that meet the criteria can say that "very limited and preliminary scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 tablespoon (16 grams) of corn oil daily may reduce the risk of heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in corn oil" the FDA said.

Bonnie - just when you think you have seen everything, now this. Let's further confuse the public why don't we. The FDA is lying to the public by approving a heart disease claim for corn oil. Corn oil is not heart-healthy, it is a heart-health antagonist because it is a pure omega-6 fatty acid. The FDA talks about wanting omega-3 to omega-6 ratios to become more in balance? Not with this claim. I would be very interested to see what research that led them to this conclusion. I believe this is yet another example of special interests sticking their nose where it does not belong. Did you notice some of the products ACH makes...awful. Did they consider even putting a disclaimer on corn oil that is from GMO corn? Of course not. Where are the safety studies for GMO corn? There are none.