Nutrition & Wellness – Biology 50

Fast Food = Lots of Corn Isotopes in that Hamburger

November 14, 2008

A news item update from a colleague on a new article published in the PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science) looking at the prevalence of corn isotopes in fast foods.

This new study researchers from the University of Hawaii sampled food from McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s chains and then used stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to trace the input materials from these large fast food chains.

From these findings they were able to infer the source of feed to meat animals, the source of fat within fries, and the extent of fertilization and confinement inherent to production.

What they discovered was the overwhelming majority of American fast food is based on a single source – corn. This study highlights the overwhelming importance of corn agriculture within virtually every aspect of fast food manufacturing. The presence of corn in so much of the food has some pretty striking implications.

The Implications

Science Blogger Ed Yong offers these insights in his blog post from November 11, Corn is everywhere in American fast food:

…the fact that so much of said food can be traced back to corn has environmental implications. Corn feed is relatively cheap and provides farmers with a way of maximising the calories that their animals are eating for minimum cost.

But corn agriculture in the US is encouraged by heavy government subsidies, but has been criticised for being environmentally unsustainable. It encourages heavy use of both fertiliser (as revealed by the nitrogen isotope analysis) and pesticides.

Science blogger Revere, points out in the blog post on November 12, Fast food = corn, corn and more corn:

if we eat just one hamburger, one chicken sandwich and one small order of fries we will be getting 50% of our recommended calories for the day, 80% of our carbs and 75% of our protein (90% for women). We would also be getting a full day’s worth of saturated fat. And all for just about $3.

This is a pretty remarkable nutritional bargain, but of course there are hidden costs (beyond the heart attack on a plate aspect). Corn as a feedstock is not only wasteful but highly subsidized. Our cheap meal is being paid for in other ways (taxes).

Bottom Line

While fast food may be tempting, because it is cheap and inexpensive, you may ultimately be paying for it in several ways, not only through poor nutrition, high calories and high fat intake, but also by supporting corn as a wasteful, subsidized and environmentally unsustainable food source.

Sources:

A. H. Jahren, R. A. Kraft (2008). Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in fast food: Signatures of corn and confinement Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0809870105 http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2008/11/10/0809870105

Yong E. November 11, 2008. Corn is everywhere in American fast food. Not Exactly Rocket Science.

Revere. Nobember 12, 2008. Fast food = corn, corn and more corn. Effect Measure.

Image Sources: Robert Owen-Wahl. Hamburger. Royalty Free Use. Maja. Corn. Royalty Free Use.

Entry Filed under: Articles, Health, Media and Nutrition, Nutrition News, Truth in Advertising, Wellness. Tags: Corn Agriculture, Corn in Fast Food, Corn Isotopes, Fast Food, Fast Food Manufacturing.