Does Mrs. Butterworth's Have HFCS? Yes; Log Cabin Uses Corn Syrup

Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup and Log Cabin Original Syrup are both made by Conagra Brands, and both list 110 calories per 2 tablespoons. Their ingredient lists differ: Mrs. Butterworth's lists high fructose corn syrup first, while Log Cabin lists corn syrup first and sugar third. Per serving, Mrs. Butterworth's shows 23 g added sugars and 70 mg sodium, and Log Cabin shows 10 g added sugars and 55 mg sodium. The facts below are laid out side by side so you can weigh them yourself.

Key takeaways

• Both bottles are made by Conagra Brands, but their ingredient lists differ. Mrs. Butterworth's lists high fructose corn syrup first, while Log Cabin lists corn syrup first and sugar third.
• Per 2 tablespoons (30 mL), Mrs. Butterworth's shows 23 g added sugars and 70 mg sodium. Log Cabin shows 10 g added sugars and 55 mg sodium. Both show 110 calories.
• Log Cabin Original's ingredient list does not include high fructose corn syrup; corn syrup is its first ingredient.
• The FDA says it has no reason to believe 4-MEI, which forms in Class III and IV caramel coloring, poses immediate or short-term health risks at levels expected in food.
• Both products state they contain none of the common food allergens listed on their SmartLabel pages.

What Are the Ingredients in Mrs. Butterworth's vs Log Cabin Original Syrup?

Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup (24 fl oz, 710 mL, UPC 644209791293) SmartLabel lists high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and water as its first three ingredients. It then lists, at 2% or less: cellulose gum, salt, caramel color, cane syrup, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium hexametaphosphate, lactic acid, molasses, and mono- and diglycerides. The SmartLabel page was updated 23-Feb-2026.

Log Cabin Original Syrup (per 2 tbsp, 30 mL) does not list high fructose corn syrup; its first ingredient is corn syrup. The SmartLabel ingredient list for the 24 fl oz bottle (UPC 043000000373) lists corn syrup, water, and sugar as its first three ingredients. It then lists, at 2% or less: salt, natural flavor, sodium benzoate and sorbic acid (preservatives), caramel color, phosphoric acid, mono- and diglycerides, and sodium hexametaphosphate. That SmartLabel page was updated 30-Apr-2025.

Both lists share several ingredients:

• Corn syrup and water
• Salt
• Caramel color
• Sodium benzoate (a preservative)
• Sodium hexametaphosphate
• Mono- and diglycerides

The older Mrs. Butterworth's label transcribed on Open Food Facts for the same UPC does not include cane syrup or mono- and diglycerides. The date that the recipe changed was not disclosed.

Does Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup have high fructose corn syrup?

Yes. High fructose corn syrup is the first ingredient on the current SmartLabel list. The label does not say whether it is HFCS 42 or HFCS 55, and that detail was not disclosed.

Does Log Cabin Original Syrup Really Have No High Fructose Corn Syrup?

The two names are easy to confuse. The FDA's high fructose corn syrup questions and answers explains that high fructose corn syrup is derived from corn starch, while corn syrup is essentially 100% glucose. Enzymes convert some of the glucose in HFCS to fructose, and common forms contain 42% or 55% fructose under 21 CFR 184.1866. The FDA says it is 'not aware of any evidence' of a difference in safety between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners, such as sucrose or honey, and it supports limiting all added sugars, including HFCS and sucrose.

The 64 fl oz Log Cabin Original SmartLabel (UPC 644209000814) lists the same ingredients, and the Open Food Facts transcription for the 24 fl oz UPC matches. Neither Log Cabin list includes high fructose corn syrup. For a look at how HFCS appears in other sauces, see Does Sweet Baby Ray's Have HFCS? Yes, and So Does Kraft.

How Much Sugar and Sodium Is in Mrs. Butterworth's vs Log Cabin per 2 Tablespoons?

Which has more sugar, Mrs. Butterworth's or Log Cabin?

23 g total sugars (all added), 46% DV, per 2 tbsp (30 mL) for Mrs. Butterworth's Original, compared with 10 g total sugars (all added), 20% DV, for Log Cabin Original. Mrs. Butterworth's has more. The FDA Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and added sugars include syrups and honey. The FDA's added sugars guidance explains how these figures appear on the label.

Both bottles list 110 calories per serving. Total carbohydrate is 26 g for Mrs. Butterworth's (9% DV) and 27 g for Log Cabin (10% DV). Log Cabin's total carbohydrate is 17 g higher than its total sugars. The label does not explain that gap, and the reason was not disclosed.

For a closer look at how one product can list sugar in more than one form, see 6 Scanned Labels That List Sugar More Than One Way.

How much sodium is in each syrup?

Mrs. Butterworth's lists 70 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoons (3% DV). Log Cabin lists 55 mg (2% DV). The difference is 15 mg per serving. Labels assume a 2-tablespoon serving, and each container holds about 24 servings, so actual intake depends on how much is poured.

Where Does Caramel Color Appear in Each Syrup, and What Is the FDA's 4-MEI Status?

Both labels list caramel color at 2% or less. The class of caramel color used in either bottle (Class I through Class IV) was not disclosed.

The FDA's 4-MEI questions and answers says 4-MEI forms during the manufacturing of certain types of caramel coloring, known as Class III and Class IV. Based on current science, the FDA says it has no reason to believe there are any immediate or short-term health risks from 4-MEI at the levels expected in food. The FDA also notes that National Toxicology Program rodent studies used levels that far exceed current estimates of human exposure.

In the interim, the FDA is not recommending that consumers change their diets because of concerns about 4-MEI. The 4-MEI level in either syrup was not disclosed.

What Does the Table Syrup Label Rule in 21 CFR 168.180 Mean for These Bottles?

The standard for 'table syrup' is set out in 21 CFR 168.180. Under that section, a product called 'table syrup' must contain not less than 65 percent soluble sweetener solids by weight. Permitted optional ingredients include color additives, natural and artificial flavorings, chemical preservatives, emulsifiers or stabilizers, salt, and viscosity adjusting agents. The regulation allows 'sirup' to be spelled 'syrup.'

The regulatory category of either bottle was not disclosed on the labels, so this article does not say whether either product falls under that standard.

Does Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup contain maple syrup?

No, neither ingredient list contains maple syrup; Mrs. Butterworth's lists molasses and cane syrup at 2% or less. Log Cabin lists corn syrup and sugar. The rule says a name may not use 'maple', 'cane', or 'sorghum' alone unless the product meets that syrup's own standard. If maple or honey is represented as the characterizing flavor, maple sirup and/or honey must be not less than 10 percent by weight of the finished food. Whether either product's packaging makes a maple or honey flavor claim was not disclosed, and no maple percentage was disclosed for either product.

How Do Allergens, Preservatives, and Labels Differ Between the Two Syrups?

Both SmartLabel pages state that the product does not contain any of the common food allergens. The allergens named are milk, peanuts, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat, and sesame.

Both syrups use sodium benzoate as a preservative. Mrs. Butterworth's pairs it with potassium sorbate, while Log Cabin pairs it with sorbic acid. Both list sodium hexametaphosphate. For how multiple sweeteners and additives appear together in scanned drinks, see Sweetener Stacks: 4 Scanned Drinks That Blend Sweeteners.

Label fact (per 2 tbsp, 30 mL)	Mrs. Butterworth's Original	Log Cabin Original
First ingredient	High fructose corn syrup	Corn syrup
Plain sugar in ingredient list	Not listed (cane syrup and molasses at 2% or less)	Sugar (third ingredient)
Maple syrup in ingredient list	None	None
Caramel color	Yes (2% or less)	Yes (2% or less)
Sodium benzoate	Yes	Yes
Calories	110	110
Total fat	0 g	0 g (0% DV)
Total carbohydrate	26 g (9% DV)	27 g (10% DV)
Total sugars	23 g	10 g
Added sugars	23 g (46% DV)	10 g (20% DV)
Sodium	70 mg (3% DV)	55 mg (2% DV)
SmartLabel updated	23-Feb-2026	30-Apr-2025

How Can Shoppers Compare These Syrup Labels Themselves?

Use the same steps on any syrup label:

• Read the first three ingredients and note whether high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or sugar appears.
• Check whether plain sugar is listed, or whether cane syrup, molasses, or other sugars appear at 2% or less.
• Compare added sugars in grams and % Daily Value per serving.
• Confirm the serving size and servings per container before comparing totals.
• Compare sodium in milligrams per serving.
• Look for 'maple', 'cane', or 'sorghum' in the product name, and check whether maple is claimed as a flavor.
• Note the SmartLabel update date, since ingredient lists can change.

Aurascan is a food-label scanner app for iPhone with a free tier. It explains each ingredient one by one with cited evidence rather than giving a single score, and it pulls product data from Open Food Facts, USDA, and barcode databases. If you want to see how these ingredients break down on a label you are holding, scan the product yourself with the Aurascan app.