High fructose corn syrup in carbonated drinks: fructose content measured
What it found
In 80 randomly selected carbonated drinks, fructose made up 55.58% of total sugars on average.
The authors say this matches industry and government standards for HFCS-55.
What they found
Fructose percentage found
Fructose made up 55.58% of total sugars on average across 160 measurements by two independent labs of 80 drinks. This is close to the 55% minimum required for HFCS-55.
Differences between labs
The two labs differed by only 0.1% in their fructose measurements. The authors say this difference was statistically significant but not relevant in size.
Differences by product type
Fructose levels did not differ significantly between cola, lemon lime and pepper-type drinks. Product age also had no significant effect on fructose, glucose or higher sugars.
Total sugars content
Total sugars, estimated from dry solids, were consistent within each product category. The authors say the levels matched typical industry recipes and US labeling rules.
Method verification
The lab method met criteria for linearity, accuracy and precision. The authors say this shows the method works well for measuring sugars in carbonated drinks.
What the authors conclude
“Using verified analytical methodology, this study showed unequivocally that fructose as a percentage of total sugars in carbonated beverages sweetened with HFCS-55 is reasonably close to the 55% minimum stipulated by regulatory standards, given the practicalities of large-scale sweetener and beverage production.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that fructose as a percentage of total sugars in HFCS-55-sweetened carbonated drinks is close to the 55% minimum required by regulations.
- They say the total sugar content of drinks sampled across the US matches what manufacturers state on nutrition labels.
- They state that their hypothesis was confirmed: HFCS in commercial carbonated drinks meets industry specifications and government standards.
How it was done
The authors wanted to check whether high fructose corn syrup used in commercial carbonated drinks really contains the fructose levels that manufacturers claim and that regulations require. They say accurate sugar measurements matter so shoppers can follow nutrition advice.
They developed and verified a lab method for measuring sugars in carbonated drinks. Then two independent labs each tested 80 randomly selected HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages from three flavor categories, made by three bottling companies, with product ages from 9 to 331 days.
What it can’t tell you
- This study only measured sugar content in drinks. It did not test any health effects in people.
- The results apply to the specific drinks and time period tested. They cannot show whether fructose levels vary in other products or at other times.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- The Ohio State University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Fructose content and composition of commercial HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- White JS, Hobbs LJ, Fernandez S (2015). Fructose content and composition of commercial HFCS-sweetened carbonated beverages. International journal of obesity (2005). doi:10.1038/ijo.2014.73Free full textPubMed 24798032DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error