① U.S. President Trump stated that Coca-Cola has agreed to use "real cane sugar" in beverages sold in the United States, replacing the currently used corn syrup; ③ However, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola did not explicitly confirm the formula change; ③ The chairman of the American Corn Processing Association warned that replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar could have negative effects on the U.S. food manufacturing industry and agricultural income.
On July 17, the Financial Association reported (Editor: Liu Rui) that on Wednesday, Eastern Daylight Time, U.S. President Trump stated, $Coca-Cola (KO.US)$ that he has agreed to use "real cane sugar" in beverages sold in the United States.
Currently, Coca-Cola uses corn syrup in its products sold in the U.S., but this has raised concerns from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claims that corn syrup may have negative health effects.
Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social: "I have been discussing the use of real cane sugar in Coca-Cola in the U.S. with the company, and they have agreed to do so... I want to thank all the leaders of Coca-Cola."
Trump wrote: "This will be a very good step for them — you will see. It's better this way!"
However, a spokesperson for Coca-Cola did not explicitly confirm the formula adjustment but simply stated that they "appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm," and "we will soon share more details about innovative products in the Coca-Cola product line."
Thousands of jobs will disappear.
Currently, Coca-Cola sold in the U.S. typically uses corn syrup, while Coca-Cola sold in other countries like Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Australia tends to use cane sugar.
If Coca-Cola really changes to using cane sugar as Trump wishes, it could be a bitter decision for American corn growers.
John Bode, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association, stated: 'Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar will cost thousands of jobs in the American food manufacturing industry, reduce agricultural income, and increase imports of foreign sugar, all of which have no nutritional value.'
Corn is one of the major crops produced in the United States. The U.S. corn belt is located in the Midwest, which has always been a key support area for Trump.
U.S. Secretary of Health, Alex Azar, and his 'Rebuild America's Health' campaign advocate for companies to remove ingredients such as corn syrup, seed oils, and artificial dyes from their products, claiming these ingredients are associated with a range of health issues.
It is worth mentioning that Trump himself often drinks Diet Coke, which uses the artificial sweetener aspartame - a compound classified as a 'possibly carcinogenic' by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Trump even installed a button on his Resolute Desk in the Oval Office so that staff would bring him ice-cold Diet Coke at the push of a button.
The latest news shows that Coca-Cola Company responded to the American media by stating that it has not committed to making changes. The company stated in a statement, "We appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic brand Coca-Cola. We will soon Share more details about innovative products in the Coca-Cola product line."
Editor/Rocky