‘It’s safe’: Coke responds after Trump demand

The US president has claimed Coca Cola has “agreed” to remove a key ingredient from its drinks – but Coke may not have got the memo.

Soft drinks goliath Coca Cola is being coy – and issuing confusing statements – after Donald Trump announced a key sweetener would be removed from its drinks in the US in favour of sugar.

It comes as a proposal is floated in Australia to more heavily tax drinks that contains sugar – with Coca Cola being a prime candidate.

On Wednesday, the US president said he had been “speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States”.

“They have agreed to do so.

“I’d like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them — you’ll see. It’s just better!”

But it’s not clear Coca Cola has agreed to remove the sweetener at all.

In many countries – including Australia – the standard Coke drink uses sugar as an ingredient.

However, in the US, high fructose corn syrup, made from corn starch, is used instead.

Coca-Cola began using the ingredient in the 1980s in the US as it was cheaper than sugar due to government subsidies.

Coca Cola uses high fructose corn syrup in its flagship soft drink in the US while it uses sugar in Australia. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Coke’s confusing response

But despite Mr Trump’s emphatic announcement the $US300 billion company has not confirmed the move to dump the sweetener. In fact, it’s released a statement extolling high fructose corn syrup’s virtues.

Initially, on Wednesday, Coca Cola published two vague lines related to Mr Trump’s announcement.

“We appreciate President Trump’s enthusiasm for our iconic Coca Cola brand,” it said in a statement.

“More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca Cola product range will be shared soon.”

Then on Thursday, it issued a further statement that added no further clarity but did back the sweetener.

“The name sounds complex, but high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – which we use to sweeten some of our beverages – is actually just a sweetener made from corn,” the Atlanta based firm stated.

“It’s safe; it has about the same number of calories per serving as table sugar and is metabolised in a similar way by your body.”

US President Donald Trump said Coca Cola has “agreed” to remove the ingredient. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***

Coca Cola added that the American Medical Association “has confirmed that HFCS is no more likely to contribute to obesity than table sugar or other full-calorie sweeteners”.

It also stressed there were no “harmful substances” in the company’s products.

Mr Trump is a fan of Coca Cola products and infamously has a red “Diet Coke button” on his White House desk to keep the sugar free soft drink flowing.

However, his health secretary Robert F Kennedy also has food ingredients in his crosshairs as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.

Already a number of companies making processed foods have committed to removing artificial dyes from products.

But replacing high fructose corn syrup from Coca-Cola would see the US consumption of sugar go up which Mr Kennedy has rallied against. It could also up the price of producing Coke.

Australian sugar tax plan

In Australia, a “sugar tax” on soft drinks, sweetened juices and cordials is being backed as a way to reduce soaring rates of obesity and diabetes.

Coinciding with this week’s National Diabetes Week, the Australian Medical Association has called for a new tax at a rate of 50c per 100g of added sugar, to be paid by beverage manufacturers.

Under the proposal, a standard 375mL of full-sugar Coke with 39.8g of sugar would incur a tax of 19.9c.

Macarthur MP Michael Freelander, who is also a practising pediatrician, said a levy on sugar-sweetened beverages would encourage companies to put less sugar in drinks, however a tax should be considered alongside of broader education measures.

“I think that we owe it to the next generation to try and make sure they are healthier than our generation,” he told NewsWire.

Originally published as ‘It’s safe’: Coke responds after Trump demand