Coca-Cola, an icon symbolizing the United States and the world's number one beverage brand, is changing a 40-year-old recipe.
On the 16th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that "Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in the cola sold in the United States."
He added, "It’s just better!"
Coca-Cola immediately responded, saying, "We appreciate the enthusiasm President Trump has shown for our brand," and added, "We will soon share more details about the new and innovative product."
Coca-Cola is the best-selling beverage in the world, selling over 2 billion servings a day in more than 200 countries, which translates to over 20,000 servings per second.
However, the taste varies slightly depending on the materials and supplies used in each country. For example, cola sold in the United States gets its sweetness from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a substance typically referred to as liquid sugar.
The original Coca-Cola, first introduced in 1886, was naturally based on unrefined sugar (sucrose) extracted from cane sugar. However, in the 1970s, the U.S. government imposed high tariffs and quotas on imported sugar under the pretext of protecting domestic farmers, leading to a spike in the price of unrefined sugar.
Conversely, corn, supported by government subsidies, became abundant. Corn processing companies began mass-producing liquid sugar, a sweetener similar to sugar, using this cheap corn. Beverage and food companies, including Coca-Cola, swiftly replaced sugar with liquid sugar to reduce expenses.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Coca-Cola switched to 100% liquid sugar for sweeteners in 1985, a full 100 years after its founding.
In countries like Mexico and Australia, where cane sugar production is high, or Europe, where trade barriers are low, Coca-Cola continued to use cane sugar in the traditional way.
Some sensitive American consumers noticed this subtle difference. Among them, 'Mexican cola' has become a meme, with the word spreading that colas made with cane sugar are 'cleaner and fresher,' leading to a niche group that seeks out Mexican Coca-Cola despite its higher price.
Cane sugar, in terms of molecular structure, combines glucose and fructose in a 1:1 ratio. These two sugars, which mathematically create a perfect balance, break down on the tongue to produce a smoother and more complex sweetness.
Liquid sugar has glucose and fructose in separate states. Typically, the fructose ratio is slightly higher at 55%. This is why experts explain that it leaves a more direct and stronger sweetness than cane sugar.
Can the average person's taste discern the subtle differences between cane sugar and liquid sugar? Scientific analyses and multiple consumer tests lean towards the conclusion that "the difference can be detected."
Consumer Reports, an American magazine, reported that a significant number of participants in a blind taste test conducted in 2011 could detect the subtle taste difference between cola made with cane sugar and cola made with liquid sugar.
From a nutritional standpoint, the two types of sugar are almost indistinguishable. Cane sugar and liquid sugar both contain 4 kcal per gram. The metabolic processes are also nearly identical; once absorbed, they break down into glucose and fructose.
Academics believe that excessive consumption of any type of sugar is a cause of obesity and metabolic diseases. The general view is that liquid sugar is not significantly more harmful than cane sugar.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also stated that "there is no evidence indicating a difference in safety between the two sweeteners."
The use of cane sugar in Coca-Cola is closer to a return to its original taste than a transformation to a new flavor.
However, experts point out that Coca-Cola must shake the liquid sugar supply chain it has firmly built in the United States for 40 years since 1985, and turn its back on the powerful political influence of corn farmers.
Immediately, the U.S. corn industry expressed an agitated response through a statement.
John Bode, president of the Corn Refiners Association, strongly criticized the move, saying, "Replacing liquid sugar with cane sugar will eliminate thousands of jobs in the American food manufacturing industry," and "It will decrease farmer incomes and result in increased imports of foreign sugar."
Trump consistently emphasized America First throughout his presidency. This move pressures the use of cane sugar, which relies mostly on imports, instead of corn produced in the Corn Belt, which supports American agriculture. It's a paradoxical decision that contrasts with previous policies.
The food media Tasting Table quoted an expert saying, "Rather than the whim of a politician, this is a complex event where a significant consumer trend favoring clear and clean ingredient labeling coincides with political pressure," and predicted that "Coca-Cola can significantly influence the ingredient policies of other food corporations."
Trump himself is widely known to be a cola enthusiast, consuming 12 cans of diet cola daily. He had a separate red 'cola button' installed in his first and second offices, which he pressed whenever he wanted a cola, prompting staff to immediately bring a cold cola to his office.