High Fructose Corn

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a liquid sweetener made from corn starch. The corn starch is first processed into corn syrup, which is primarily glucose. Enzymes are then used to convert some of the glucose into fructose, resulting in a syrup that is a mixture of glucose and fructose.

HFCS is widely used as a sweetener in many processed foods and beverages. It provides sweetness and helps to preserve freshness, maintain moisture, and improve texture in products like soft drinks, baked goods, candies, and sauces.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers High Fructose Corn Syrup to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Like other added sugars, HFCS contributes to the total sugar intake. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no amount of added sugars, and at most 10 grams of added sugars per meal. Major health organizations, including the American Medical Association, have stated that HFCS is nutritionally similar to sucrose (table sugar) and that health concerns are primarily related to excessive consumption of any added sugars, rather than unique effects of HFCS. JECFA (the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) has evaluated sugars and their intake, and its general conclusions on sugars apply to HFCS as a mixture of glucose and fructose.