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I've wondered about high fructose corn syrup, it is in practically everything! Why? What is it about it that is better than cane sugar? Why is it in things that one wouldn't even think need any kind of sweetner, is it also some sort of preservative?

First of all, high fructose corn syrup is 75% sweeter than sugar from beets or cane. This enables food manufacturers to use less of the sweetener at a cost that is considerably less. Only five percent of the total U.S corn crop is used to make HFCS. The development of the HFCS process came at an opportune time for corn growers. Refinements of the partial hydrogenation process had made it possible to get better shortenings and margarines out of soybeans than corn. HFCS took up the slack as demand for corn oil margarine declined. With the effects of government subsidies, corn prices make HFCS even more of a bargain. It is also very easy to transport—it's just piped into tanker trucks. This translates into lower costs and higher profits for food producers. Because it is a liquid, mixing it into the product is easier, requiring less energy for mixing mechanisms.

As for the health effects, you can read lots of information on the internet. I should say that the research is new and it is hotly being debated. The corn producers do not want junk science torpedoing their industry. I say, let's do the research and find a way to make this type of sweetener better--and cheaper.