A few weeks back, Coca-Cola informed us that there is no distinguishable difference in taste between Coke made with High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Coke made with cane sugar. But when we asked the people at Pepsi the same question, they had a very different answer.
Says a rep for Pepsi to Consumerist:
We do believe there is a taste difference between HFCS and sucrose. While some consumers do not taste a difference, others express a preference for one or the other. Millions of consumers love Pepsi the way it is made today — with HFCS — and we know that products like Pepsi Throwback, Mountain Dew Throwback and, now Sierra Mist Natural, which are sweetened with sucrose have devoted followings.
Without getting into the hotly debated topic of whether or not HFCS is any worse for consumers than sucrose, the rep did say that people are buying the real-sugar products for a variety of reasons: “Some consumers prefer sucrose for taste reasons, others for nostalgia reasons or because they think of it as a more natural sweetener option,” she said.
As for the continued and future availability of the Throwback beverages, the rep tells Consumerist, “Both Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback have traditionally been ‘limited time offer’ products — available for only a few weeks at a time. Due to consumer demand we have extended their availability and brought them back a few times. For next year we’ve already made plans to bring them back, but availability may change due to a variety of factors including regional popularity and retail space.”
We also asked why, in places like New York City, it’s often easier to find Throwback drinks in small corner stores than it is at larger, chain groceries. The rep explained that it’s likely due to local bottlers and distributors finding these stores more willing to purchase and try out small quantities of the relatively new products.
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Pepsi Throwback IS not Pepsi without HFCS, it is a different formula (note the lack of Citric Acid). Kosher for Passover Pepsi and Kosher for Passover Caffeine Free Pepsi however have Citric Acid.
Here are the different formulas for Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Sierra Mist.
Note: HFCS Pepsi has both HFCS and Sugar
HFCS Pepsi: CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, SUGAR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CAFFEINE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR
Caffeine Free Pepsi: CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CARAMEL COLOR, SUGAR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR
Pepsi Throwback: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CAFFEINE, NATURAL FLAVOR
Kosher for Passover Pepsi: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CAFFEINE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS
Kosher for Passover Caffeine Free Pepsi: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS
Pepsi Natural: SPARKLING WATER, SUGAR, NATURAL APPLE EXTRACT (COLOR), CARAMEL COLOR, CITRIC ACID, CAFFEINE, ACACIA GUM, TARTARIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, KOLA NUT EXTRACT
HFCS Mountain Dew: CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CAFFEINE, SODIUM CITRATE, ERYTHORBIC ACID (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), GUM ARABIC, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL, YELLOW 5
West Jefferson Mountain Dew: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CAFFEINE, SODIUM CITRATE, ERYTHORBIC ACID (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), GUM ARABIC, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL, YELLOW 5
Mountain Dew Throwback (Current): CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CAFFEINE, SODIUM CITRATE, GUM ARABIC, ERYTHORBIC ACID (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL, YELLOW 5
Mountain Dew Throwback (Original): CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), CAFFEINE, GUM ARABIC, BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL, YELLOW 5
HFCS Sierra Mist CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, POTASSIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), POTASSIUM CITRATE, ASCORBIC ACID AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR)
Kosher for Passover Sierra Mist: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, POTASSIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), POTASSIUM CITRATE, ASCORBIC ACID, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR)
Sierra Mist Natural: CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR, POTASSIUM CITRATE
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, MALIC ACID, POTASSIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), POTASSIUM CITRATE, RED 40, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), BLUE 1
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash (Naturally Sweetened): CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, TARTARIC ACID, MALIC ACID, POTASSIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVES FRESHNESS), POTASSIUM CITRATE, RED 40, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR), BLUE 1
Having drank Canadian Pepsi, made with cane sugar, since I was a child, I immediately noticed the difference of HFCS Pepsi when traveling to the USA.
The HFCS Pepsi had an aftertaste that was reminiscent of corn syrup, it just didn’t taste right. Thereafter I would bring Canadian Pepsi with me for US trips.
There is a difference to myself, and to deny that there are people who can tell the difference is just wrong.
I usually don’t like pepsi products but I do like the throw backs. I wish I could get them in 2 liters. If they are available that way they don’t sell them in my area.
Its very true. I spent time overseas where they only use cane sugar and their soda or ‘minerals’ were simply amazing. The difference between Fanta in Africa and a fanta in JFK airport are night and day. I couldn’t finish it. It took me a long time to be able to drink soda here in the states again.
Hey America.. enough with the corn already.
The only difference I have ever tasted stemmed from the container it came in. Soda in a glass bottle just tastes better (to me) and cans are the worst. If you have a Mexican Coke (in a glass bottle) and a US Coke (w/ HFCS and in a glass bottle) the taste difference is much less noticeable than if I was comparing a glass bottle soda and a plastic bottle or aluminium can soda.
Just my own observation though.
A few friends and I have put together a reference of products made without corn syrup (candy, bread, yogurt, etc). Also we have a collection of research that is not sponsored by the sugar or corn syrup industries.
If you are interested check out http://thesugardiet.com
Reminds me of the time my mother went on a health food kick in the ’80′s and tried to tell me there was no taste difference between chocolate and carob. Believe me, there was.
It is funny though, that on the packaging, they do not want to say there is “NO HFCS!” as that would imply that HFCS is bad, and make the majority of their products look bad.
To the people claiming they taste the same:
I spent the first 34 years of my life living in Australia. In 2006 I moved to the US to live with my wife. The first thing I drank when I hit American shores was one of those airline sized cans of Coke on a connecting flight out of LAX.
After my first sip I thought “What is wrong with this Coke?” – It had a sort of sticky texture and has a strong aftertaste that for some reason reminds me of the lingering taste of the Christmas Plum Puddings we have back home. By contrast, Cane Sugar coke is crisper and cleaner tasting, with no aftertaste.
This was the first time I had ever tasted a soft drink sweetened with HFCS. I am an avid soda drinker and for the first year I was miserable because I just didn’t like how Soda tasted here. For some reason I couldn’t tell quite as much in fountain drinks (maybe because of how they are watered down and also have melting ice in them), but I could never, EVER mistake a standard can of American coke for the stuff flavoured with sugar.
When I found Mexican Coke at Sam’s Club the first sip carried me instantly back home – it tasted identical to Australian Coke.
If some Americans can’t tell the difference it’s because you’re used to the taste of HFCS and it’s unpleasant properties become less noticeable over time, sort of like how if you drink a lot of diet soft drinks you stop noticing the NutraSweet, but if you never drink them you gag if you’re served it by mistake at a restaurant.
Nice to see Pepsi cutting through the spin to say it like it is, now if only they would go one step further and admit that not only does it taste different, it tastes MUCH BETTER.
There is definitely a taste difference. Throwback Mt. Dew tastes funny to me.. even though I grew up on the non-HFCS version. I wanted to like it but it tastes off to me. I suspect it’s not quite the same as it originally was.
I like the way the guy from Pepsi manages to talk about cane sugar without using the word “sugar”. Clever.
I can definitely taste the difference with the Mountain Dew Throwback. Much smoother and just a better drinkability (is that a word?) in my opinion. There is a Hispanic grocery store about 30 minutes away from me that carries Coke used with cane sugar and they are always sold out. The owner says that it sells out as fast as he can get it in and he has people that drive from over an hour away to get it. So whether these manufacturers want to believe it, many people do taste a difference.
They also only compared against coke. If they had also included tests against Dr Pepper, or RC, I wonder if the results might have been different.
Okay, maybe not for RC…
I have to say even though i have quit most of my HFCS for the past 3 years i still had a preference for real sugar Coke and Dr.Pepper while it is a slight difference in Coke Dr.Pepper’s quality is a massive taste improvement.
Furthermore while I rank Jones Soda bellow both Coke and Pepsi in the pure “Cola” flavor they have the best Root Bear and Cream Soda hands down. While i do not know if that is due to sugar as they never use HFCS I find it likely that it helps.