Corn Refiners Ask to be Dismissed from HFCS Lawsuit

WASHINGTONA group of corn refiners today asked U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall in Los Angeles to dismiss them from a pending lawsuit brought by the processed sugar industry over allegedly false advertising by statements made by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) that high-fructose corn syrup is natural.

A federal judge dismissed all claims against the CRA members last year, but allowed the refined sugar companies a second chance to rewrite their lawsuit. The new filing argues that HFCS companies devised a "strategy to escape liability for their roles in the misconduct" in which they seek to "hide behind an inadequately capitalized trade association they control, govern and fund."

CRA President Audrae Erickson said the processed sugar industry's attempt to hold the individual companies liable for CRA's statements is "unprecedented." She added the CRA is attempting to inform consumers about an important public health issue and that it is wrong for the processed sugar industry to attempt to stifle this educational campaign.

"The court was obviously well prepared and asked excellent questions of both sides," Erickson said, after a hearing on the companies' motion. "We look forward to the court's ruling."

The processed sugar industry has also brought claims against the CRA, and those claims will proceed to the discovery phase. "We will vigorously defend those claims, which we believe are completely without merit," Erickson said.