High-fructose corn syrup facts for kids
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a common sweetener. It's also known as glucose–fructose or isoglucose. HFCS is made from corn starch. First, the starch is broken down into glucose using special chemicals called enzymes. Then, another enzyme changes some of the glucose into fructose. HFCS was first sold in the early 1970s. It was developed by the Clinton Corn Processing Company and a Japanese research group.
HFCS is often compared to regular granulated sugar. However, HFCS is usually easier to handle and cheaper to make. There are different types of HFCS. "HFCS 42" means it has about 42% fructose. "HFCS 55" has about 55% fructose. The rest is mostly glucose. HFCS 42 is used in many processed foods and breakfast cereals. HFCS 55 is mostly used in soft drinks.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there's no proof that HFCS is less safe than other sweeteners. These include regular sugar or honey. HFCS use has grown a lot in the early 2000s.
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Sweetening Our Food
In the U.S., HFCS has largely replaced sucrose (table sugar) in many foods. This happened for a few reasons. The U.S. has rules about how much sugar can be made at home. There are also taxes on sugar brought in from other countries. Plus, the U.S. government helps corn farmers. These things made regular sugar more expensive. They made HFCS cheaper.
Even though HFCS 55 has a bit more fructose, it tastes about as sweet as regular sugar. This type is often used in soft drinks. HFCS is also the main ingredient in many "pancake syrups." It's a cheaper choice than real maple syrup. Sometimes, HFCS is even added to honey to make it cheaper. Special tests are used to find out if honey has been mixed with HFCS.
How HFCS is Made
The Production Process
Making HFCS starts with corn starch. The corn is ground up to get the starch. Then, the starch is mixed with acid. This starts to break down the long chains of sugars. Next, special enzymes are added. These enzymes help turn the starch into different sugars.
The first enzyme, called alpha-amylase, breaks the starch into smaller sugar chains. Another enzyme, glucoamylase, turns these into glucose. The liquid is then cleaned. It goes through filters and special materials to remove impurities. After that, it flows over another enzyme. This enzyme changes some of the glucose into fructose. This creates HFCS 42. Some of this is further processed to make HFCS 90. Then, HFCS 90 is mixed with HFCS 42 to create HFCS 55. The enzymes used in this process are made by tiny living things.
Different Types of HFCS
HFCS is about 24% water. The rest is mostly fructose and glucose. It also has a tiny bit of other sugars.
The most common types of HFCS are:
- HFCS 42: This type has about 42% fructose. It's used in drinks, processed foods, cereals, and baked goods.
- HFCS 55: This type has about 55% fructose. It's mainly used in soft drinks.
- HFCS 70: This type is used in jellies.
HFCS Around the World
The global market for HFCS is growing. It was worth about $5.9 billion in 2019. It's expected to reach $7.6 billion by 2024.
China
In China, HFCS makes up about 20% of all sweeteners used. It has become popular because regular sugar prices have gone up. HFCS sells for about one-third the price of sugar. In 2017, China was expected to make 4.15 million tons of HFCS. About half of this was sent to other countries. These include the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and India.
European Union
In the European Union (EU), HFCS is called isoglucose or glucose-fructose syrup (GFS). It has less fructose than U.S. HFCS. GFS usually has 20–30% fructose. In the U.S., HFCS is made only from corn. In the EU, GFS can be made from corn or wheat.
Before October 2017, there were limits on how much GFS could be made in the EU. Now, there are no limits. However, GFS with higher fructose levels is not widely available in the EU. So, soft drinks there are mostly sweetened with regular sugar. Regular sugar has 50% fructose.
Japan
In Japan, HFCS is called isomerized sugar. Its production grew when sugar prices went up. Japan mostly makes HFCS from corn imported from the U.S. The government controls how much is made. From 2007 to 2012, HFCS made up about 27–30% of Japan's sweetener market. In 2016, Japan used about 800,000 tons of HFCS. About 20% of all corn imported by Japan is used to make HFCS.
Mexico
Mexico buys the most HFCS from the U.S. HFCS makes up about 27% of all sweeteners used in Mexico. In 2018, Mexico imported almost a million tons of HFCS. Mexico's soft drink industry is starting to use more HFCS instead of sugar. This is expected to increase U.S. HFCS exports to Mexico.
In 2002, Mexico put a 20% tax on soft drinks and syrups not sweetened with cane sugar. The U.S. said this tax was unfair. In 2006, the World Trade Organization agreed with the U.S. They said the tax was unfair to U.S. HFCS imports.
Philippines
The Philippines used to buy the most HFCS from China. In 2016, they imported over 373,000 tons. But local sugar producers complained. So, the government put a tax on drinks with HFCS. Starting in 2018, drinks with HFCS were taxed at 12 pesos. Drinks with other sugars were taxed at 6 pesos.
United States
In the U.S., HFCS became very popular from the 1970s. It was used in many foods instead of regular sugar. It tasted similar, was easier to use, and was cheaper. U.S. production of HFCS grew from 2.2 million tons in 1980 to a high of 9.5 million tons in 1999.
HFCS is easier to handle than regular sugar crystals. Soft drink companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi used sugar in other countries. But they switched to HFCS for U.S. drinks in the 1980s. Big companies that make HFCS also work to keep government support for corn farmers.
However, Americans are using less HFCS now. Consumption went down from 37.5 pounds per person in 1999. In 2018, the average American used about 22.1 pounds of HFCS. They used more regular sugar, about 40.3 pounds. Because Americans are using less, more HFCS is being sent to other countries. In 2014, HFCS exports were worth $436 million. Mexico received about 75% of this.
In 2010, the Corn Refiners Association asked the FDA to call HFCS "corn sugar." But the FDA rejected this idea in 2012.
Vietnam
Most of Vietnam's HFCS comes from China and South Korea. In 2017, Vietnam imported about 89,343 tons. HFCS was much cheaper than sugar. HFCS also has no import tax. Regular sugar has a higher tax. In 2018, Vietnam's sugar industry asked the government for help. They said the tax rules made it hard for them to compete.
Other Interesting Facts
Taste Differences
Most countries, like Mexico, use regular sugar in soft drinks. But in the U.S., soft drinks often use HFCS 55. Some people think HFCS tastes sweeter than regular sugar. Many Americans look for drinks like Mexican Coke because they prefer its taste. Kosher Coca-Cola, sold in the U.S. around Passover, also uses regular sugar. People who like the original taste often seek it out.
HFCS and Bees
Some beekeepers in the U.S. use HFCS to feed their honey bee colonies. This happens when there isn't enough nectar from flowers. However, if HFCS gets too hot (around 45°C or 113°F), a substance called hydroxymethylfurfural can form. This substance is harmful to bees. Some scientists think feeding bees HFCS might be one reason for colony collapse disorder. But there's no proof it's the only cause. Studies show that bees fed HFCS or regular sugar can show signs of not getting enough nutrients.
Public Opinion
There have been some concerns about how HFCS products are advertised. For example, some people don't like that HFCS products are called "natural." Because of this, some companies have switched back to using regular sugar. They had previously used HFCS. In 2010, the Corn Refiners Association wanted to rename HFCS "corn sugar." But the FDA rejected this idea in 2012.
In 2016, McDonald's announced they would remove HFCS from their buns. They also said they would cut out other artificial ingredients. Marion Gross from McDonald's said, "We know that they [consumers] don't feel good about high-fructose corn syrup so we're giving them what they're looking for instead." Other companies like Yoplait, Gatorade, and Hershey's have also stopped using HFCS. They replaced it with regular sugar because consumers thought sugar was healthier. Companies like PepsiCo and Heinz also offer products with sugar instead of HFCS. But they still sell products with HFCS too.
History of HFCS
Making corn syrup began in 1964. In the late 1950s, scientists tried to turn glucose from corn starch into fructose. But it was hard to do on a large scale. From 1965 to 1970, a Japanese scientist named Yoshiyuki Takasaki found a special enzyme. This enzyme could change glucose into fructose. In 1967, the Clinton Corn Processing Company got the right to use this enzyme. They started selling an early version of HFCS in February 1967. In 1983, the FDA said HFCS was "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). They confirmed this decision again in 1996.
Before the modern sugar industry, people didn't eat much fructose. Milk, meats, and most vegetables have no fructose. Fruits like grapes and apples have only a small amount. But most traditional dried fruits have about 50% fructose. From 1970 to 2000, the amount of "added sugars" in the U.S. went up by 25%. HFCS became a cheaper and more useful sweetener. It replaced regular sugar as the main sweetener in U.S. soft drinks.
Since 1789, the U.S. sugar industry has been protected. There are taxes on foreign sugar. Also, corn farmers get help from the government. This makes corn, the main ingredient in HFCS, cheaper. So, companies looking for cheaper sugar options quickly started using HFCS in the 1970s.
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See also
In Spanish: Jarabe de maíz de alta fructosa para niños
