Cane sugar or corn syrup: Trump wants to change the Coca-Cola recipe

It could be "refreshing news for Americans" that Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 16, on his Truth Social network: "Thanks to him, Coca-Cola is changing its recipe" in the United States, CNN jokes .

“I have discussed with Coca-Cola the use of REAL cane sugar in Coke in the United States, and they agree to do so. I would like to thank all the managers at Coca-Cola,” the president wrote, adding:

“It will be a very good decision on their part, you will see, it is just so much better.”

A statement from the multinational, without confirming, said it “appreciates President Trump’s enthusiasm for [its] iconic brand.”

"It's unclear whether Coca-Cola has accepted Donald Trump's offer or whether the beloved soda will still be made with corn syrup," summarizes NBC News . The network's media outlet points to the current campaign of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., "Make America Healthy Again" (Maha), a variation on Trump's "Maga" slogan. This campaign "is pushing food companies to change their formulations to remove ingredients like artificial colors."

The Coca-Cola Americans consume contains “high fructose corn syrup, a highly processed sweetener whose health effects, compared with other forms of added sugar, have long been a source of controversy,” explains the Financial Times .

This type of sweetener is derived from corn, a grain grown “in Midwestern agricultural states like Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, rural areas that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the 2024 presidential election .” Sugarcane, on the other hand, is primarily grown in Florida and Louisiana.

The first consequence of Trump's announcement, notes the British business daily, was the fall in the share prices of "Archer-Daniels-Midland and Ingredion, two of the largest listed corn producers." Bad lemonade.