The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

Sugar is not necessarily sugar, no matter what you are told by the industry. On Monday, U.S. researchers published an article in the journal Cancer Research detailing how pancreatic cancer cells sucked up fructose, and divided and multiplied.

According to one of the lead researchers, the study shows pancreatic cancer cells "can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation." This supports and explains other studies that have linked fructose with pancreatic cancer. In the experiment, pancreatic cancer cells were fed both fructose and glucose. They proliferated when they took in fructose.

Fructose is in many things Americans consume, especially high fructose corn syrup. This is a mix of fructose and glucose and used in soft drinks, some breads, and other foods. While the debate of how fructose and other added ingredients is making people fat goes on among health experts, regulators, politicians, and the industry, this finding may add another element to what should be done.

It is already known that too much weight leads to other diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and strokes, yet it is unclear if simply ingesting fructose and other kinds of sugar make people more susceptible to weight gain. The states of New York and California tried to put a tax on soft drinks to help pay for some of the cost of treating obesity-related diseases, but the American Beverage Association and their lobbyists defeated those efforts.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, U.S. consumption of high fructose corn syrup went up over 1000 percent between 1970 and 1990.

If you or a loved one has fallen ill because of a food additive, please contact the experienced defective product attorneys at the Cochran Firm for an initial case consultation. We serve clients nationwide.