Research: Consumers more concerned with fat, calorie intake than high-fructose corn syrup

CHICAGO — Despite the negative connotation high-fructose corn syrup carries as an additive to food and beverages, it seems that consumers are more concerned with fat and calorie intake.

New research by Mintel Research Consultancy, a service that supports more than 500 of the world's largest companies with syndicated research and custom research projects, found that 37% of consumers surveyed said they have been limiting or avoiding calories in the past six months, 20% have been limiting or avoiding fats and oils, and 17% reported cutting back on products with sugar or added sugar. These results compared with 4% of consumers that said they are actively limiting or specifically avoiding HFCS.

Mintel also found that 4-in-10 label readers seek information on fat or calories, compared with just 3% that seek information on HFCS and 25% who seek information on sugar content.

"We sought to find out how cognizant consumers are of HFCS, what they've heard about HFCS and what efforts they're making to reduce or limit their intake of HFCS and other sweeteners," Mintel Research Consultancy senior analyst Erin Murray said. "Sugar and sweeteners in general seem to be a bigger concern than HFCS."