Is Pancake Syrup Ultra Processed?
Yes — Ultra-Processed
Yes, pancake syrup is ultra-processed (Level 4). Despite its maple-themed branding, most pancake syrup contains zero maple content. It is a blend of corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, and artificial maple flavor — an industrially engineered sugar product.
Key Findings
- •Most pancake syrups contain zero actual maple syrup — the flavor is entirely synthetic
- •The first two ingredients (corn syrup and HFCS) are both industrially produced from corn starch using enzymatic conversion
- •Real maple syrup costs 7-15x more than pancake syrup because it requires 40 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup
Why Is Pancake Syrup Ultra-Processed?
Pancake syrup is one of the clearest examples of an ultra-processed food mimicking a natural one. Mrs. Butterworth's and Aunt Jemima (now Pearl Milling Company) list corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup as the first two ingredients — both are industrially produced from corn starch using enzymatic hydrolysis (alpha-amylase, glucoamylase) and glucose isomerase. The "maple" flavor comes from sotolon and other synthetic compounds that mimic the Maillard reaction products found in real maple syrup. Caramel color (produced by heating sugars with ammonium compounds) gives the amber appearance. Some brands add sodium hexametaphosphate (emulsifier) and potassium sorbate (preservative). The result is a product with 6-10 industrial ingredients that costs $0.10 per ounce versus $0.75-1.50 per ounce for real maple syrup.
Pancake Syrup Processing Level Distribution
How 400 pancake syrup products break down by processing level:
Average ingredient count: 8.4 · Average nutrition score: 3.7/10
Pancake Syrup Brand Comparison
Comparing the least to most processed pancake syrup products in our database:
| Product | Brand | Level | Score | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Flavored Organic Pancake Syrup, Maple | Rxsugar | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Organic Maple Flavored Syrup, Maple | Rxsugar | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Pancake Syrup | New Hope Mills | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Maple Flavored Organic Pancake Syrup, Maple | Rxsugar | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Pancake Syrup, Pancake | Anderson's | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Organic Maple Flavored Syrup | Rxsugar | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Organic Maple Flavored Syrup, Maple | Rxsugar | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Pancake Syrup | New Hope Mills | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Pancake Syrup | New Hope Mills | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Pancake Syrup | Wegmans | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.5 | 3 |
How to Read Pancake Syrup Labels
- 1
If "corn syrup" or "high fructose corn syrup" is the first ingredient, it is not maple syrup
- 2
"Maple-flavored" or "pancake syrup" on the label means no significant maple content
- 3
Some "lite" versions replace some corn syrup with water and add artificial sweeteners
- 4
"Contains 2% or less of: natural and artificial flavors" confirms the maple flavor is synthetic
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mrs. Butterworth's contain real maple syrup?
No. Mrs. Butterworth's lists corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, water, and cellulose gum before any mention of "natural and artificial flavors." It contains no maple syrup.
Is "maple-flavored" syrup the same as maple syrup?
Not at all. "Maple-flavored" syrup is corn syrup with artificial maple flavoring and caramel color. Real maple syrup contains one ingredient: maple syrup. They are fundamentally different products despite similar shelf placement.
Why is pancake syrup so much cheaper than maple syrup?
Corn syrup is industrially produced in massive quantities from commodity corn. Real maple syrup requires tapping individual trees and boiling 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon. The labor and raw material costs are incomparable.