Trump announces: Coca-Cola may switch to cane sugar in America – panic in the corn industry

Political move or health turnaround?

Trump called Coca-Cola’s alleged switch a “better decision,” writing: “You’ll see. It’s better.” The comment reflects a long-running professional and public debate that discusses the health effects of various sweeteners, primarily corn syrup and cane sugar.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is one of the most commonly used sweeteners in the American food industry, becoming a staple ingredient in carbonated soft drinks and processed foods since the 1980s. The alternative, cane sugar, is traditionally considered healthier, although scientific consensus suggests that excessive consumption of both can be harmful in the long run.

A blow to Trump’s base

The news of the switch will hit hard in the agricultural regions of the US that have been Trump’s political stronghold. In rural parts of Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska, corn production is a key industry, and farmers there are partners with large processors such as Archer Daniels Midland and Ingredion. Following the president’s announcement, shares in these companies fell by 6.3 and 8.9 percent, respectively, while Coca-Cola’s share price remained unchanged.

Coca-Cola said only that it appreciated President Trump’s enthusiasm and that details about the brand’s new, innovative offering would be forthcoming.

A sugar war in the White House?

The sugar debate is not only of economic but also political importance. Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, who previously called corn syrup a poison, has been campaigning to crack down on processed foods. This week, the White House announced that dozens of American ice cream makers have pledged to stop using artificial colors. But Kennedy says not only the colors but all industrial sweeteners, including cane sugar, pose a risk to public health.