The Hidden Reasons Behind High Fructose Corn Syrup’s Dominance in Recipes

The cost and availability of ingredients can significantly impact recipes, influencing choices both in the kitchen and in industrial food production. One ingredient that has seen widespread use in many food and beverage products is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This sweetener, despite being a non-traditional sugar, is commonly used where sugar would typically be the first choice. This article explores the underlying reasons for this phenomenon, focusing on the economic, agricultural, and policy factors that make HFCS a preferred ingredient in many recipes.

Cost and Industrial Economics

In the U.S., where corn is a highly government-subsidized crop, it is cheaper for food and beverage manufacturers to use HFCS than it is to use actual cane sugar (sucrose).

According to a study, corn production is taxpayer-subsidized, while sugar imports are taxed. This makes corn syrup about half the price of regular sugar. Since the cost of sweetener is one of the largest costs in production, it is natural for manufacturers to opt for the cheapest option. HFCS also has a slightly higher percentage of fructose compared to sugar (55% in HFCS-55, versus 50% in regular sugar). This makes it slightly more effective in providing sweetness without increasing the overall cost proportionately. The presence of HFCS in savory foods, such as bread, is simply to cover up the unpleasant taste of other low-cost ingredients, like vegetable oil. This illustrates how the versatility of HFCS helps in manufacturing cost-effective and versatile products.

Agricultural and Economic Policies

The choice of HFCS over cane sugar is also influenced by agricultural policy and economic incentives.

Worldwide, sugar is a highly regulated commodity, with countries either protecting, promoting, or restricting its trade. In the United States, the sugar industry has been protected to maintain higher prices both domestically and worldwide. This protection is due to the significant lobbying by the sugar industry to ensure its survival and profitability. As a result, the domestic price of sugar is significantly higher than the world price.

In response to the high cost of sugar and to reduce production costs, industries such as soft drink manufacturers sought alternatives. One of the earliest alternatives, was sugar beet, but it was essentially priced the same as cane sugar. Through the imposition of tariffs and tariff rate quotas, the U.S. restricts the import of cheaper sugar from countries like Brazil and Mexico, making domestic sugar even more expensive.

As a result, manufacturers turned to a domestic alternative – corn. Corn, through the production of corn syrup, and further enzymatic processing to convert it into fructose, became a viable and often cheaper alternative to sugar. This process, known as high fructose corn syrup, has become the leading sweetener in non-diet beverages in the U.S.

The Historical Context of Sugar Regulation

Historically, the U.S. sugar industry faced competition from imported sugar from regions such as the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, where sugar cane thrives. To protect the domestic sugar industry, tariffs were imposed, driving up the cost of sugar in the U.S. This led to a higher price that was maintained due to the continued protection of the industry through various government policies.

Meanwhile, around the middle of the 20th century, U.S. agricultural policy shifted, promoting the production of surplus grains, especially corn. This increase in corn production led to the need to find uses for the abundant corn. One of the uses was the production of corn syrup, which was then further processed to make high-fructose corn syrup, utilizing the abundance of corn.

Corn syrup, when converted to high fructose syrup, includes a higher percentage of fructose, making it more effective than glucose in sweetening products. At the same time, the combination of cheap corn and sugar tariffs meant that HFCS was as cheap or even cheaper than sugar, leading to significant cost savings for manufacturers.

Conclusion

The use of high fructose corn syrup over sugar in recipes is not merely a choice of taste or health but a result of economic and policy factors. The economic advantages of cheaper production costs, combined with the protection of the corn industry, have made HFCS a preferred choice for both manufacturers and consumers.