Why does white sugar still dominate food and beverage formulations over cheaper HFCS?

Why does white sugar still dominate food and beverage formulations over cheaper HFCS?
White sugar is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose, while high-fructose corn syrup is a free monosaccharide blend, typically 55% fructose and 45% glucose in beverages. The industrial switch has been driven mainly by cost: corn starch supply is abundant and policy-supported, whereas cane procurement in China follows government-guided pricing that keeps sugar relatively expensive. That spread explains why US colas lean on HFCS while Mexican, UK and Australian bottlings still use sugar. For buyers, the practical read is that formulation choices track subsidy and tariff structures more than taste, and any narrowing of the corn-to-sugar price gap can quickly reverse substitution decisions.