轉載美國食品安全運動網站的文章....翻譯質量可能不是很理想，希望大家多多指教^^"

Cancer Cells Gorge on Fructose to Grow and Spread
攝取「果糖」將導致癌細胞成長與擴散

Just a spoonful of fructose makes the cancer cells divide...
只要一匙的果糖就會致使癌細胞分裂...

Doesn't have quite the life-affirming ring to it, does it?
沒有任何實驗證實不是嗎？

A new study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is challenging the idea that all sugars are processed equally, as producers of sugar subsitutes would like consumers to believe.
美國加州大學洛杉磯分校（UCLA）日前發表一篇研究報告，挑戰過去糖類生產者希望消費者相信的糖類代謝並無不同的認知。

The researchers fed glucose and fructose to a set of pancretic tumor cells, and found that the cancer cells used the two sugars in very different ways—notably, the cells soaked up fructose, metabolized it, and used it to divide and multiply.
這一份研究中，分別餵食胰臟癌細胞葡萄糖與果糖，發現癌細胞在利用這兩種糖上有著極大的差異 -- 非常顯著地，癌細胞大量消耗果糖進行代謝並開始多重分裂。

High fructose corn syrup comes from federally subsidized corn. (Photo: Randy Wick/Creative Commons)
美國聯邦政府補助生產的玉米，最終將被提煉為高濃度果糖溶液（廣泛地運用於加工食品）

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers. The researchers say their findings are important in prescribing a diet for patients with pancretic cancer. Although the study was limited to pancreatic tumor cells, the results are not necessarily unique to that cancer type.
胰臟癌是一種相當致命的癌症。研究者表示胰臟癌患者飲食內容十分重要，儘管研究僅針對胰臟癌細胞，並不表示果糖不會影響其他類型癌細胞的惡化。

According to the report, written by UCLA's Kim Irwin, "it’s widely known that cancers use glucose, a simple sugar, to fuel their growth"—but this is "the first time a link has been shown between fructose and cancer proliferation."
研究員kim Irwin表示「癌細胞會利用葡萄糖，一種單糖，作為成長的營養來源」 -- 「但是這份研究卻證實了果糖與癌細胞擴散之間的關連性」

Many Americans unknowingly consume high levels of fructose daily in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a super-sweet substance made from corn. HFCS is used in a number of foods, from bread and pasta to tomato sauce and soda pop.
許多美國民眾在不知情的情況下每天攝取了大量的果糖（高濃度果糖溶液），由玉米提煉出來的超高甜度糖類。從麵包、麵條、蕃茄醬到軟性飲料，都可發現高濃度果糖溶液的蹤跡。

Irwin explains:

Between 1970 and 1990, the consumption of HFCS in the U.S. has increased over 1,000 percent, according to an article in the April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Food companies use HFCS—a mixture of fructose and glucose—because it’s inexpensive, easy to transport and keeps foods moist. And because it is so sweet, it’s cost effective for companies to use small quantities of HCFS in place of more expensive sweeteners or flavorings.
根據2004年四月美國臨床營養期刊研究顯示，1970～1990年之間，美國境內高濃度果糖溶液的消費量成長了十倍。食品公司利用高濃度果糖溶液 -- 果糖與葡萄糖混合溶液 -- 因為價格便宜，運輸方便更能保持加工品濕潤的口感。由於這種溶液甜度很高，所以食品公司得以用劑量較少又更便宜的合成糖將取代價格相對較高的糖或調味劑。

While the average consumer might understand the risks of sugar—and even avoid foods high in sugar—HFCS is less familiar, and consequently, so are its risks.
當一般消費者可能發現糖背後隱含的風險時 -- 甚至於避免食用高糖份食品 -- 高濃度果糖溶液對於消費者相對陌生，最後卻還是會導致相同的結果。

The study quotes Dr. Anthony Heaney, an associate professor of medicine and neurosurgery, a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and senior author of the study: "The bottom line is the modern diet contains a lot of refined sugar including fructose and it’s a hidden danger implicated in a lot of modern diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and fatty liver."
引述Jonsson 癌症中心研究員，醫學暨神經外科副教授Anthony Heaney博士的研究，「現代飲食含有大量的再置糖類，其中包含果糖及其與許多現代疾病相關的隱藏風險，例如：肥胖、糖尿病以及脂肪肝」

(For more information on the damaging effects of HFCS, check out Bill Sanda's article "The Double Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup.")
若您想要瞭解更多有關高濃度果糖溶液的資訊，請參閱Bill Sanda的文章「高濃度果糖溶液的雙重風險」

So what can be done?
所以我們還能做什麼？

The first step to eliminating these dangers is an understanding of HFCS's popularity. As the study explained, it's inexpensive. Why? Because the U.S. government subsidizes corn, and high fructose corn syrup (as the name implies) is corn based. As long as companies are focusing on the bottom line—and as long as customers continue to accept sugar substitutes—the cheapest option available will always win out.
要終結這種風險的第一步，就是要瞭解高濃度果糖溶液目前的普遍被使用的情形。如同研究中提到的，為什麼它的成本低廉？因為美國政府補貼農民生產過剩的玉米，而高濃度果糖溶液主要由玉米提煉而成。只要食品公司持續的壓低成本 -- 只要消費者繼續接受這樣的成分 -- 則低價策略永遠是最好的策略。

There are plenty of stakeholders. In April, the Corn Refiners Association petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to change the name of high fructose corn syrup to simply "corn syrup," in an attempt to salvage its image in the wake of studies that said HFCS causes obesity, and even attributes to mercury poisoning.
有許多的投資者，在四月的時候，玉米精煉協會企圖挽救他們的社會形象，進而向美國食品藥物管理局施壓要求將高濃度果糖溶液更名為果糖糖漿。因為種種的研究顯示高濃度果糖溶液將導致肥胖更可能引發汞中毒。

There's also Sweet Surprise, an image-cleanup campaign (also by the Corn Refiners Association) designed to "inform" consumers by softening HFCS's increasingly unpopular reputation.
他們甚至舉辦了Sweet Surprise的形象包裝活動（同樣由玉米精製協會出資），企圖以錯誤的角度模糊消費者對於高濃度果糖溶液的認知。

The good news? Consumer demand has pushed some companies to make a change. Two months ago, Hunt's Ketchup announced that, bowing to consumer demand, it was going back to the basics, removing high fructose corn syrup from "every bottle of its ketchup products."
這算好消息嗎？消費者的需求已經造成幾家廠商進行調整。兩個月以前，Hunt's蕃茄醬發表聲明，為了回應消費者的期待，Hunt's將會對配方進行調整，不再添加高濃度果糖溶液。

In a new era of consumer awareness, there is hope that other companies will follow suit, if only to appease their customers.
在消費者導向的新時代，為了弭平消費者的不滿，希望其它的食品公司也能效法跟進。

Until then, you can make a personal change by opting out on high fructose corn syrup, or take a bigger step and urge congress to tax high fructose corn syrup. 
在美好的那一天到來之前，您能夠作的便是改變您消費的習慣，或者是更進一步支持針對高濃度果糖溶液課處更高稅金的運動。

Photo: Randy Wick/Creative Commons via Flickr