high fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a corn sweetener found in numerous foods and beverages on the grocery store shelves. HFCS is composed of either 42% or 55% fructose, with the remaining sugars being glucose and higher saccharides. As such, HFCS is extremely similar to regular table sugar (sucrose). There is very little pure fructose as a single sugar in the diet. It is usually found together with glucose.

HFCS is a preferred sweetener by many food and beverage manufacturers because of its high quality characteristics, including stability, high osmotic pressure, or crystallization control. For example, 42-HFCS is popular in canned fruits, condiments and other processed foods which need mild sweetness that won't mask natural flavors.