NEW YORK (AP) – Hershey is looking at replacing the high-fructose corn syrup in some of its products with sugar.
Will Papa, chief research and development officer at The Hershey Co., told The Associated Press the company uses a mix of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in its products but that it is “moving more toward sugar.”
“We take into account what consumers want. And consumers are telling us between the two, they prefer sugar,” Papa said.
A switch to sugar would make Hershey a high-profile example of the move away from high-fructose corn syrup in the food industry. Many people say they avoid it because it has gained a bad reputation for fueling weight gain and diabetes, though health experts says there’s not enough evidence to conclude it’s any worse than regular sugar.
In an emailed statement, Hershey said its work on “exploring” the replacement of high-fructose corn syrup “is just under way” and that it did not have a timeframe on when it might be complete.