Extract:
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion—within the medical community as well as across the kitchen table—about the supposed harmful effects that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has on the human body. Many people wonder if its use as a sweetener is contributing to the population’s overall rate of obesity.
In the late 1970s, many of the largest food manufacturers in the United States shifted away from using refined table sugar to using the much cheaper HFCS. Soon HFCS was used to sweeten many products including cereal, steak sauce, soft drinks, bread, baked beans, and yogurt.
Table sugar and HFCS share a similar biochemical structure: both contain the simple sugars glucose and fructose, though HFCS is produced from corn and undergoes additional processing to increase the amount of fructose.
The American Medical Association does not take the view that one sweetener is better or worse than another. However, researchers at Princeton University have recently released a study showing that rats who consumed HFCS gained more weight, especially in the abdominal area, than rats who consumed table sugar.
Other medical professionals say that more research is needed before conclusive results can be drawn. Meanwhile, nearly everyone can agree that both table sugar and HFCS are high in calories—nearly 50 per tablespoon—and that neither form of sweetener provides any measurable nutritional value.
Which of the following is not listed as a detail in the passage?
-
A
HFCS and sugar share a biological structure.
-
B
HFCS is cheaper to use than sugar is.
-
C
HFCS is now used to sweeten a variety of products.
-
D
HFCS contains more calories than aspartame does.
The detail not listed in the passage is that HFCS contains more calories than aspartame does, as the text makes no comparison between HFCS and artificial sweeteners like aspartame.
A) HFCS and sugar share a biological structure
The passage explicitly states "Table sugar and HFCS share a similar biochemical structure: both contain the simple sugars glucose and fructose," confirming this detail appears in the text.
B) HFCS is cheaper to use than sugar is
The text directly notes manufacturers shifted to HFCS in the late 1970s because it was "much cheaper" than refined table sugar, establishing cost as a documented factor in its widespread adoption.
C) HFCS is now used to sweeten a variety of products
The passage provides a specific product list: "cereal, steak sauce, soft drinks, bread, baked beans, and yogurt," demonstrating HFCS's extensive application across food categories.
D) HFCS contains more calories than aspartame does
The passage states both sweeteners contain "nearly 50 [calories] per tablespoon" but makes no reference to aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. Calorie comparisons exist only between HFCS and table sugar—not with alternative sweeteners.
Conclusion
Three details appear explicitly in the text: structural similarity between sweeteners, HFCS's cost advantage driving industry adoption, and its diverse product applications. The aspartame comparison represents external knowledge not contained within the passage's factual boundaries.