Does Sweet Baby Ray's Have HFCS? Yes, and So Does Kraft

TL;DR: Yes, Sweet Baby Ray's Original has high fructose corn syrup, and so does Kraft Original: both list it first. Sweet Baby Ray's lists more added sugar (16 g vs 12 g per 2 tbsp); Kraft lists more sodium (350 mg vs 290 mg).

Key takeaways

• Both sauces list high fructose corn syrup first on their ingredient lists.
• Sweet Baby Ray's lists 16 g added sugar per 2 tbsp, compared with 12 g for Kraft.
• Kraft lists 350 mg sodium per 2 tbsp, compared with 290 mg for Sweet Baby Ray's, a 60 mg difference.
• The preservatives differ: sodium benzoate in Sweet Baby Ray's and potassium sorbate in Kraft.

Sweet Baby Ray's vs Kraft at a Glance: Per 2 Tbsp Label Table

The table shows the figures printed on the Sweet Baby Ray's Original product page and the Kraft Original Slow-Simmered product page for a 2 tablespoon (36 g) serving.

Per 2 Tbsp (36 g)	Sweet Baby Ray's Original	Kraft Original Slow-Simmered
Calories	70	60
Total fat	0 g	0 g
Sodium	290 mg (13% DV)	350 mg (15% DV)
Total carbohydrate	18 g (7% DV)	14 g (5% DV)
Total sugars	17 g	12 g
Added sugars	16 g (32% DV)	12 g (23% DV)
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Protein	0 g	0 g
First ingredient	High fructose corn syrup	High fructose corn syrup
Preservative listed	Sodium benzoate	Potassium sorbate
Servings per container	About 14	Not disclosed
Allergen information	Gluten free and kosher flagged; egg, milk, sesame, soy and wheat flags false	'Allergen Info Not Available'

Sweet Baby Ray's lists about 14 servings per container. Servings per container for Kraft's 18, 28, 40 and 82.5 oz sizes is not disclosed on the brand page.

Which Sauce Has More Added Sugar, and How Much Is It?

Sweet Baby Ray's lists 16 g added sugar per 2 tablespoons (36 g), which is 32% of the Daily Value, while Kraft lists 12 g, or 23% of the Daily Value. That is a 4 g difference. Sweet Baby Ray's lists 70 calories versus Kraft's 60 per 2 tbsp.

Total sugars are 17 g for Sweet Baby Ray's and 12 g for Kraft. The Nutrition Facts panel shows added sugars on their own line, and FDA's Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. FDA supports limiting all added sugars, and its added sugars label page covers how they appear on the label.

The labels do not show how the added sugar divides among sweeteners. Sweet Baby Ray's lists high fructose corn syrup, molasses, corn syrup, sugar and pineapple juice concentrate among its ingredients. Kraft's ingredient list names high fructose corn syrup and molasses as its sweeteners. Grams of high fructose corn syrup compared with other sugars in each sauce were not disclosed.

Readers who compare sugar sources on other labels may find 6 Scanned Labels That List Sugar More Than One Way useful. For another condiment comparison in this format, see Heinz vs Hunt's Ketchup: 4 g vs 3 g Added Sugar.

Sodium: Kraft's 350 mg Versus Sweet Baby Ray's 290 mg

Kraft lists 350 mg sodium per 2 tablespoons (36 g), or 15% DV, while Sweet Baby Ray's lists 290 mg, or 13% DV, a 60 mg difference. These are the exact figures printed on each brand page.

The ingredient wording offers some context without quantities. Kraft names SALT as an ingredient in its list. Sweet Baby Ray's label text reads 'Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt.' Neither label breaks sodium down by ingredient, and salt quantities were not disclosed.

FDA's Sodium in Your Diet page classifies 20% DV or more of sodium per serving as high and 5% DV or less as low. The Daily Value is based on less than 2,300 mg per day, so the percentage on each label applies to a full day's intake.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Both Sauces List It First, So What Does FDA Say?

Both labels list high fructose corn syrup first in the ingredient list. The brand pages do not state which type of high fructose corn syrup either brand uses.

Does Kraft BBQ sauce have high fructose corn syrup?

Yes. The Kraft Original Slow-Simmered page lists HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP as its first ingredient. Sweet Baby Ray's lists high fructose corn syrup first as well.

FDA describes the most common forms of high fructose corn syrup as containing 42 or 55 percent fructose under 21 CFR 184.1866, with the rest glucose and water. FDA says it is 'not aware of any evidence' of a difference in safety between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods with similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners such as sucrose or honey. The agency also supports limiting all added sugars, not only high fructose corn syrup.

Whether either brand uses HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 is not disclosed on these pages.

What Preservative Does Each Sauce Use: Sodium Benzoate vs Potassium Sorbate?

Sweet Baby Ray's lists sodium benzoate as its preservative, while Kraft lists potassium sorbate, which its label describes as 'to preserve freshness.' The amount of either preservative in each sauce is not disclosed.

On both labels the preservative sits in the part of the ingredient list each brand marks as less than 2% of the sauce.

Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Safe?

FDA's high fructose corn syrup questions and answers page describes HFCS 42 and HFCS 55 by reference to 21 CFR 184.1866. FDA's position is that it is not aware of evidence of a safety difference between HFCS and similar amounts of sucrose or honey, while still supporting limits on all added sugars.

Why Do the Ingredient Lists Differ Between Kraft Bottles and Brand Pages?

An Open Food Facts entry for Kraft Original BBQ 18 oz (UPC 0021000052288) shows a different ingredient list, including maltodextrin, paprika extract and stevia leaf extract. That entry reports the same 60 calories, 350 mg sodium and 12 g added sugar per 2 tablespoons (36 g) as the brand page. The reason for the difference in ingredient lists was not disclosed. Readers' bottles may differ from the brand page, so the label on the bottle in hand is the most direct check (Open Food Facts entry).

Is Sweet Baby Ray's gluten free?

The Sweet Baby Ray's brand page flags the sauce as gluten free and kosher, and its allergen flags for eggs, milk, sesame, soy and wheat are all false. Kraft's allergen field reads 'Allergen Info Not Available,' so its gluten-free status is not disclosed.

How to Spot HFCS, Added Sugar, Sodium, and Preservatives on These Labels

Start with the first ingredient, since both brand pages list high fructose corn syrup first and your bottle may be formulated differently. A practical checklist for these labels includes:

• Scan the full ingredient list for other sweeteners, such as corn syrup, sugar, molasses or fruit juice concentrates.
• Read the Added Sugars line in grams and as a percent Daily Value. On these brand pages, 16 g equals 32% DV for Sweet Baby Ray's and 12 g equals 23% DV for Kraft.
• Compare sodium in milligrams per serving, using FDA's markers of 5% DV or less for low and 20% DV or more for high.
• Find the preservative name, such as Sodium Benzoate (Preservative) or Potassium Sorbate (To Preserve Freshness).
• Confirm the serving size before comparing, because all figures in this article are per 2 tablespoons (36 g).
• Check the allergen or gluten statement printed on the bottle, since online product pages may differ.

Label rules can change, so the figures on a bottle you buy are the most current information about that product. The label facts above are a starting point rather than a complete picture. You can scan your own bottle with the Aurascan app, which explains each ingredient one by one with cited evidence instead of giving a single score.

This article is not medical advice; ingredient evidence has limitations and individual tolerance varies.

Related reading: for the cookout side dish, see What's in Bush's vs B&M Baked Beans?.