Well, I hate to wade into this topic,
but since I believe I am one of the only dedicated birders around here with
degrees in Food Science and Nutrition (BS, Mich St U; MS, Cornell U), and about
23 years work experience in two different Food Science departments in Cornell
College of Agriculture, here goes…
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and sugar are similar, but there are a few
differences:
1. Composition:
* HFCS: It’s a sugar-based sweetener derived from CORN syrup. Like
regular table sugar (from CANE or BEETS), it consists of both fructose and
glucose molecules. The most common type, HFCS 55, contains 55% fructose and 42%
glucose.
*
* Sugar: Regular table sugar is composed of equal parts of
monosaccharides fructose and glucose (50%-50%), bound together as a
disaccharide (called Sucrose).
So the chemical composition is slightly different and the source of the sugar
is from different plants.
1. Production Process:
* HFCS is made from CORN starch, which is processed to create corn
syrup. Some of the glucose in corn syrup is converted to fructose using
enzymes, resulting in HFCS.
* Table Sugar is obtained from sugar cane or sugar beets.
2. Physical Form:
* HFCS is liquid and contains about 24% water.
* Sugar is dry and granulated.
3. Nutritional Value:
* In terms of nutritional value and health properties, there are no
significant differences between HFCS 55 and sugar (although some science
writers debate this statement on the basis of how these substances are digested
in humans). Both are broken down into fructose and glucose during digestion.
The US Food and Drug Administration long ago declared HFCS to be safe for human
consumption.
HFCS is used in various foods because it is cheaper (or was at one time
cheaper) than cane/beet sugar.
However, in recent decades many humans have way-overconsumed “foods” like sodas
and some not-too-nutritional edibles, and this has contributed to obesity,
diabetes and other adverse health conditions. So, it is the high consumption of
HFCS that is the problem, most likely, and not the small chemical differences
between the two types of sugars.
Regarding birds’ consumption of jelly (made with fruit juice) and jam (made
with fruit juice and fruit pieces) containing either of these sugar sources,
- we may have to consider if we are encouraging birds to eat too much of these
foods containing sugar. To my knowledge, nobody has studied the effect of this
“diet” for a few months of the year.
(By the way, there are no added artificial colors or flavors in grape jellies
for humans; just pectin (from apples) which makes it gel, and 1 or 2 fruit
acids (citric, malic, etc.) which make it the right pH (acidity) and may give a
tart “note.” And whatever sugar source the manufacturer chose to use).
A few years back, bird researchers found that Hummingbirds drinking sugar-water
with too high a concentration of sugar might develop fatty liver disease, so
now we are advised to make a “nectar” of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water, which
if you taste it is pretty dilute.
Let’s be frank, we like putting out this attractive jelly because it brings
beautiful birds in where we can see them. As some have suggested here, maybe
just provide fruit? That would need frequent changing to avoid molds, etc.
during warm weather.
Donna L Scott
Retired Senior Extension Associate
Dept. of Food Science, CALS
Cornell University
377 Savage Farm Dr
Ithaca, NY 14850
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
From: [email protected]
<[email protected]> On Behalf Of Nancy Cusumano
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 7:19 AM
To: Steve Donohue <[email protected]>
Cc: Ken Haas <[email protected]>; Marie P. Read <[email protected]>; John
Gregoire <[email protected]>; Carl Steckler <[email protected]>;
CAYUGABIRDS-L <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Grape Jelly
My Trader Joe's strawberry preserve ingredients are: strawberries, liquid
sugar, sugar, water (Sugar contains 2% or less of lemon juice concentrate),
pectin.
I thought this seemed ok - is it? THe orioles seem to like the strawberry just
fine.
Thank you.
Nancy
On Wed, May 8, 2024 at 9:34 PM Steve Donohue
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
This is a big issue. We need to fight for the poor species that unwittingly
feed on these potential poisons - put out by either uninformed birders, or
birders that just don't care.
On Wed, May 8, 2024, 8:36 PM Ken Haas
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I agree with Marie. However there is an alternative. Last year I found a
product called “Bird Jelly”. It is manufactured by Lizzie Mae’s Bird Seed and
Dry Good in Millersburg, OH. Go to
www.LizzieMaesBirdSeed.com<http://www.LizzieMaesBirdSeed.com>. Ingredients:
Cane sugar, Grapes, water, pectin, Lemon Juice, Citric Acid. It says on the
label that it is an “Excellent choice for all jelly eating birds”. Also says
NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. I’ve used this last year and the Orioles and
Catbirds seem to really like it, and I think it is better for them than jelly
bought in a grocery store made for human consumption. I found this at the Wild
Bird Center in Horseheads, NY. Oh, and it is grape flavored. Says on the label
“Amish Farm to Backyard Feeder". “Let the birds get their jam on!”. I’ve got an
18 oz. jar for $8.
Ken Haas
Mecklenburg
www.KenHaasPhotos.com<http://www.KenHaasPhotos.com>
On May 3, 2024, at 8:14 PM, Marie P. Read
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Thanks for this reminder, John. I always feel a sense of despair when I know
people are feeding grape jelly or any other fruit preserve. Complete with added
flavorings and colors. Killjoy that I am, I view it as junk food for birds.
(Yes I know that sugar water could be considered that too). My orioles get
oranges, period! And BTW catbirds and woodpeckers also like oranges.
Marie
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
________________________________
From:
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
on behalf of John Gregoire
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Sent: Friday, May 3, 2024 6:08:06 PM
To: Carl Steckler <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Cc: CAYUGABIRDS-L
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Grape Jelly
Please be careful with this as many birds can be sickened by other than pure
cane sugars. Most other non-organic jellies contain ingredients I would not
consume let alone feed to the birds. Sugar substitutes are a special problem.
On Fri, May 3, 2024 at 5:44 PM Carl Steckler
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Interesting discovery today
It seems that besides Orioles, Catbirds and Hummingbirds like grape jelly too.
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