%3Cp%3EThe%20food%20industry%20is%20the%20largest%20industry%20in%20the%20world.%26nbsp%3B%20It%20encompasses%20everything%20from%20the%20noodles%20at%20a%20shop%20in%20Vietnam%20to%20the%20the%20icing%20inside%20a%20Twinkie.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AWhile%20learning%20about%20the%20food%20industry%2C%20also%20known%20as%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Fwhat-is-agribusiness%2F3109%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Eagribusiness%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20here%20are%20some%20terms%20you%20might%20want%20to%20consider%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Fhow-farm-subsidies-harm-taxpayers-consumers-and-farmers-too%2F26304%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3EFarm%20Subsidies%3C%2Fa%3E%20are%20what%20the%20government%20pays%20farmers%20to%20supplement%20their%20incomes%20for%20the%20crops%20they%20grow.%26nbsp%3B%20These%20crops%20include%20grains%2C%20cotton%2C%20milk%2C%20rice%2C%20peanuts%2C%20sugar%2C%20tobacco%20and%20soybeans.%20%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Fthe-vegetable-industrial-complex%2F3178%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3EFood%20Safety%3C%2Fa%3E%20has%20become%20really%20visible%20with%20the%20outbreak%20of%20food-borne%20illnesses%20such%20as%20salmonella%20in%20fast%20food%20burgers%20and%20E.coli%20in%20spinach.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Flunch-lessons%2F3292%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3EProcessed%20Foods%3C%2Fa%3E%20are%20generally%20made%20from%20stable%2C%20subsidized%20food%20crops%20%28corn%2C%20wheat%20and%20soybeans%29%2C%20but%20the%20more%20it%27s%20processed%2C%20the%20less%20nutritional%20value%20it%20contains.%20%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETo%20learn%20more%20about%20the%20dauntingly%20complicated%20numbers%20of%20the%20global%20food%20industry%2C%20check%20out%20this%20Forbes%20article%20below.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20BBC%20News%20--%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMany%20homegrown%20suicide%20bombers%20are%20coming%20from%20out%20of%20the%20prisons.%20%20The%20radicalization%20of%20young%20Muslim%20men%20in%20the%20Briton%20prison%20system%20is%20a%20problem%2C%20and%20since%20the%20the%209%2F11%20attacks%20it%20has%20been%20forced%20underground%20thereby%20compounding%20the%20radicalization.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BThe%20New%20York%20Times%26lt%3B%2Fi%26gt%3B%26nbsp%3BColumnist%20Nicholas%20Kristoff%20argues%20the%20best%20cure%20for%20obesity%20maybe%20taxes%2C%20to%20be%20more%20specific%20the%20proposed%20New%20York%20%22Twinkie%20Tax.%22%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26%23147%3B%26nbsp%3BLet%26rsquo%3Bs%20break%20for%20a%20quiz%3A%20What%20was%20the%20biggest%20health%20care%20breakthrough%20in%20the%20last%2040%20years%20in%20the%20United%20States%3F%20Heart%20bypasses%3F%20CAT%20scans%20and%20M.R.I.%26rsquo%3Bs%3F%20New%20cancer%20treatments%3F%20No%2C%20it%20was%20the%20cigarette%20tax.%20Every%2010%20percent%20price%20increase%20on%20cigarettes%20reduced%20sales%20by%20about%203%20percent%20over%20all%2C%20and%207%20percent%20among%20teenagers.%26nbsp%3B%26%23148%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EThe%20Corn%20Refiners%20Association%20published%20an%20study%20which%20found%20there%20isn%27t%20a%20strong%20link%20between%20HFCS%20and%20obesity.%20%20According%20to%20one%20expert%20on%20the%20review%2C%20%26ldquo%3Bthe%20currently%20available%20evidence%20is%20insufficient%20to%20implicate%20HFCS%20per%20se%20as%20a%20causal%20factor%20in%20the%20overweight%20and%20obesity%20problem%20in%20the%20United%20States.%26rdquo%3B%20%20You%20can%20read%20the%20full%20text%20of%20the%20expert%20review%20here.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BThe%20report%20found%20that%20there%20are%20many%20other%20%22plausible%20explanations%20for%20rising%20overweight%20and%20obesity%20rates%22%20in%20the%20United%20States%2C%20listing%20such%20factors%20as%20%22a%20decrease%20in%20smoking%3B%20an%20increase%20in%20sedentary%20occupations%3B%20an%20increase%20in%20two-income%20households%20and%20single-parent%20households%3B%20transportation%20and%20infrastructure%20changes%20that%20discourage%20physical%20activity%3B%20a%20decrease%20in%20PE%20classes%20and%20extracurricular%20sports%20programs%20in%20schools...%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20%26lt%3Bi%26gt%3BMSNBC%26lt%3B%2Fi%26gt%3B%20--%26nbsp%3BMSNBC%20weighs%20in%20on%20the%20High-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20debate.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BNatural%20is%20relative%2C%20so%20think%20of%20it%20this%20way%3A%20HFCS%20would%20not%20exist%20without%20the%20aid%20of%20humans.%20%28Of%20course%2C%20neither%20would%20table%20sugar.%29%20%22You%20don%27t%20just%20squeeze%20it%20out%20of%20a%20kernel%20of%20corn%2C%22%20explains%20Jacobson.%20The%20sweetener%20is%20made%20from%20cornstarch%20via%20a%20process%20that%20alters%20corn%27s%20naturally%20occurring%20starch%20molecules.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EA%20thorough%20history%20of%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20from%20its%20auspicious%20beginnings%2C%20complete%20with%20GoogleMaps%21%20%20Aside%20to%20it%20being%20linked%20to%20obesity%20and%20diabetes%2C%20it%27s%20now%20linked%20to%20cirrhosis%20of%20the%20liver.%20%20There%20is%20early%20evidence%20that%20HFCS%20is%20carcinogenic%20too.%20%20Did%20you%20know%20that%20HFCS%20is%20%20almost%20indestructible%2C%20like%20Styrofoam%2C%20while%20it%20people%20claim%20it%20%22all%20natural%3F%22%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BMore%20stable%20than%20sugar%20against%20the%20disintegrating%20elements%20%28such%20as%20moisture%29%2C%20foods%20with%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20can%20literally%20travel%20thousands%20of%20miles%20and%20sit%20on%20the%20shelf%20of%20your%20local%20convenience%20store%20forever%20and%20%28almost%29%20never%20go%20bad.%20Cheaper%20ingredients%20meant%20cheaper%20groceries%20for%20the%20good%20American%20consumer.%20A%20win-%20win%20situation%2C%20it%20seemed.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Global%20Development%20and%20Environment%20Institute%20Tufts%20University%20--%26nbsp%3BAmerican%20agricultural%20subsidies%20may%20be%20an%20indirect%20influence%20on%20the%20nation%27s%20public%20health%20by%20way%20of%20High-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup.%26nbsp%3B%20In%20what%20might%20be%20one%20of%20the%20more%20short%2C%20well%20researched%2C%20yet%20concise%20studies%20on%20the%20High-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20debates%2C%20the%20Global%20Development%20and%20Environment%20Institute%20examines%20reowned%20food%20journalist%20Michael%20Pollan%27s%20claims%20that%20the%20corn%20industry%20and%20its%20subsidies%20are%20making%20the%20US%20obese.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BWe%20find%20that%20U.S.%20farm%20policy%20effectively%20lowered%20corn%20prices%20and%20HFCS%20production%20costs%2C%20offering%20HFCS%20producers%20an%20implicit%20subsidy%20of%20%24243%20million%20a%20year%2C%20a%20savings%20of%20%242.2%20billion%20over%20the%20nine-year%20period%2C%20and%20over%20%244%20billion%20since%201986.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Slate%20Magazine%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AThink%20High-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20is%20limited%20to%20vending%20machines%20and%20candy%20aisles%3F%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0ALet%20the%20Corn%20Refiners%20Association%20tell%20you%20themselves%20it%20is%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sweetsurprise.com%2Flearning-center%2Fhow-is-hfcs-used%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Efound%20in%20everything%20from%20chicken%20to%20pickles.%3C%2Fa%3E%20If%20we%20want%20to%20be%20able%20to%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodincmovie.com%2F%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Eshop%20without%20searching%20for%20hidden%20chemicals%20and%20processes%20in%20our%20food%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20we%20must%20reprogram%20both%20our%20bodies%20and%20our%20environment%20by%20eating%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Fhigh-fructose-corn-syrup-losing-fight-with-sugar-hungry-for-change%2F%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Enaturally-sweetened%20fruits%20and%20vegetables%3C%2Fa%3E%20and%20becoming%20involved%20on%20a%20larger%20scale.%20After%20all%2C%20it%27s%20not%20just%20about%20our%20health%2C%20but%20that%20of%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Fvideos%2Fann-cooper-talks-school-lunches%2F27939%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Eour%20children%3C%2Fa%3E%20and%20neighbors%20and%20the%20earth.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Forbes%20--%26nbsp%3BThe%20Corn%20Refiners%20Association%27s%20reported%20%2430%20million%20ad%20blitz%2C%20to%20convince%20people%20that%20High-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20is%20just%20as%20healthy%20as%20%22natural%22%20sweetners%2C%20seems%20not%20to%20be%20working.%20Even%20with%20the%20go-ahead%20from%20the%20American%20Medical%20Association%2C%20people%20continue%20to%20debate%20whether%20or%20not%20the%20sweetener%20is%20the%20best%20option.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BThe%20body%20doesn%27t%20digest%20or%20metabolize%20fructose%20in%20the%20same%20way%20it%20does%20glucose%20%28simple%20sugar%29%2C%20the%20paper%20said.%20Fructose%20doesn%27t%20stimulate%20insulin%20or%20leptin%20production%2C%20two%20things%20that%20regulate%20food%20intake%20and%20body%20weight.%20Take%20in%20high-fructose%20corn%20syrup%2C%20the%20paper%20claimed%2C%20and%20you%20consume%20too%20much--and%20put%20on%20the%20pounds.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20San%20Francisco%20Chronicle%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AThe%20jury%20is%20still%20out%20on%20the%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Ffood-fight-the-battle-over-sweeteners%2F15226%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3EHigh-Fructose%20Corn%20Syrup%20debate%3C%2Fa%3E%3A%20It%20reprograms%20our%20bodies%20towards%20obesity%20versus%20just%20eating%20too%20much%20of%20it.%20%20Check%20it%20out...%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20corn%20industry%20has%20gone%20to%20a%20lot%20of%20trouble%20to%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Fvideos%2Fis-it-true%2F340%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Eallay%20our%20fears%3C%2Fa%3E%20about%20high-fructose%20corn%20syrup%2C%20but%20those%20who%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F10%2F03%2Fsweet-revenge-high-fructose-corn-syrup-ad-tells-not-so-sweet-truth%2F%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Eoppose%20it%20are%20fighting%20back%3C%2Fa%3E%20with%20some%20facts%20of%20their%20own.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESweeteners%20are%20everywhere%2C%20from%20our%20food%20to%20our%20drinks%20and%20America%20is%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takepart.com%2Furl%2Fthe-sweet-science-how-our-brain-reacts-to-sugary-tastes%2F27942%22%20rel%3D%22externals%22%3Econsuming%20too%20much%20of%20both%3C%2Fa%3E.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A