HFCS

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Cooking

HFCS
Stands forHigh-fructose corn syrup
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

HFCS stands for High-fructose corn syrup, a cooking abbreviation.

A liquid sweetener made by enzymatically converting part of the glucose in corn syrup into fructose. HFCS 55, about 55 percent fructose, sweetens most American soft drinks, while HFCS 42 is used in baked goods, cereals and condiments.

Example: Ingredients: carbonated water, HFCS, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors.

Usage notes

Commercial production began in the late 1960s, and major US soft drink makers switched from cane sugar to HFCS in the early 1980s because US sugar quotas made corn sweeteners cheaper. Its sweetness is similar to table sugar. Products marketed as "Mexican Coke" or "made with real sugar" use sucrose instead.

More cooking abbreviations

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  • fl oz – Fluid ounce
  • gal – Gallon
  • GF – Gluten-free
  • gm – Gram (older recipe form)
  • HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
  • IQF – Individually quick frozen
  • lb – Pound (avoirdupois)
  • lg – Large
  • med – Medium
  • MSG – Monosodium glutamate
  • No. 10 – Number 10 can

See all 43 cooking abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.