Corn-based sweeteners’ broad application use and cost management benefits make them ideal sweeteners 

Food science creates all refined sweeteners. Refined sweeteners can be made from sugar cane, sugar beets, tapioca, corn or maple trees. Most common caloric sweeteners have the same composition: they contain fructose and glucose in approximately equal proportions and have the same levels of sweetness.  Cargill’s corn sweeteners offer a cost effective means of sweetening your products with a compositionally similar product to other refined sweeteners.

High fructose corn syrup was developed in the 1970s when the food industry began looking for alternatives to traditional cane sugar to overcome periodic shortages in sugar availability and resulting price increases. Recent market volatility in the sweetener segment is a great reason to consider corn sweeteners. 

Two types of high fructose corn syrup

There are two types of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS): HFCS-55 and HFCS-42. HFCS-55 is as sweet as table sugar, and HFCS-42 is somewhat less sweet. When HFCS-55 was developed, it was specifically formulated to provide consumers with an equivalent sweetness to table sugar.  The difference in fructose content between the HFCS-55 and sugar is indistinguishable by the body as both are effectively identical in their biological effects.

High fructose corn syrup is described as having an “early” sweetness profile, which enhances flavors in foods and beverages. This means that when high fructose corn syrup is consumed, the sweetness is detected rapidly by human taste buds, or “early” in the tasting process. As the sweetness of high fructose corn syrup subsides, other flavors such as fruit, citrus and spice are experienced more clearly and completely. It is the crispness and clarity of its sweetness profile that enables high fructose corn syrup to enhance other flavors.

Wide ranging application benefits

High fructose corn syrup provides wide ranging application benefits. In acidic carbonated sodas, HFCS provides greater stability than sucrose. Soda flavors remain consistent and stable over the entire shelf-life of the product as a result.  Also, in the beverage category, high fructose corn syrup provides enhancements to frozen concentrates.  High fructose corn syrup has a lower freezing point than sugar so products have the convenience of being pourable straight from the freezer and easier for consumers to handle and mix with water.  In granola and snacks, HFCS enhances moisture control, retards spoilage and extends product freshness; providing a soft texture and enhancing complimentary flavors.  Manufacturing efficiencies along with cost benefits make high fructose corn syrup an attractive alternative to sugar, in many applications.