Washington: US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Coca-Cola has agreed to replace high-fructose corn syrup with real cane sugar in its signature soft drink sold in the United States -- a claim the company has yet to confirm.

Posting on his social media platform, Trump wrote: “I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and 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!”

If true, the shift would bring US Coca-Cola more in line with its recipe in countries such as Mexico and Australia, where cane sugar is typically used. However, it would not affect Trump’s personal favourite -- Diet Coke -- which is sweetened with aspartame, a zero-calorie artificial sweetener.

Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, responded diplomatically to Trump’s statement, saying it appreciated his enthusiasm and that further details on product changes would be announced in due course. The company did not confirm any commitment to reformulate its flagship drink.

Coca-Cola has previously catered to American consumers seeking a cane sugar version of its drink by importing glass bottles of “Mexican Coke” since 2005. These versions are often sold at a premium and have developed a loyal following.

Concerns from corn industry

A potential shift away from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has alarmed representatives of the US corn industry. The Corn Refiners Association, which represents producers of HFCS, criticised the idea as economically and nutritionally unsound.

“Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar doesn’t make sense,” said John Bode, the group’s President and CEO. “President Trump stands for American manufacturing jobs, American farmers, and reducing the trade deficit. Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”

HFCS has long been a staple in American soft drinks due to its lower cost and abundant domestic supply. Nutritional experts generally agree that, calorie for calorie, it offers no meaningful advantage or disadvantage compared to cane sugar.

A long-running love-hate relationship

Trump’s history with Coca-Cola has been marked by contradiction. Despite his regular consumption of Diet Coke -- reportedly as many as 12 cans a day, according to The New York Times -- he has publicly criticised the beverage in the past.

In 2012, he suggested that diet sodas might contribute to weight gain and later posted: “The Coca Cola company is not happy with me -- that’s okay, I’ll still keep drinking that garbage.”

During his presidency, Trump famously had a red button installed on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, which he used to summon a White House butler to bring him a Diet Coke.

A bottle of the drink was even spotted beside his chair at the G20 summit in 2017, a reminder of his enduring preference despite his critical comments.

As of now, Coca-Cola has not confirmed whether it will indeed make the switch to cane sugar in the US.