Reddit
reddit.com › r/explainlikeimfive › eli5: why does hershey’s (and other us chocolate) taste like “vomit” to others?
r/explainlikeimfive on Reddit: ELI5: Why does Hershey’s (and other US chocolate) taste like “vomit” to others?
February 28, 2026 -
I grew up in the US and as someone with a big sweet tooth I always loved Hershey’s. It’s what I grew up on. I actually prefer it over what is considered “higher quality”.. I like the almost grittiness to it. The smoothness of “good” chocolate makes it less flavorful to me. It’s just like a hard solid smooth slightly sweet thing to bite on with a bit of cocoa flavor.
I’ve heard multiple people from the UK describe US chocolate as “vomity ” tasting, especially Hershey’s. Is there something specific about Hershey’s / US chocolate that makes it this way,? I don’t get that at all. Maybe I’m just blind to it atp.
Top answer 1 of 126
2181
It's presumed to be caused by butyric acid, which is also what makes parmesan taste "funky". The brand states they don't add it as an ingredient (contrary to popular claims), but it could come from the milk that's used. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hersheys-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit_l_60479e5fc5b6af8f98bec0cd
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1491
It’s not US chocolate, but Hershey’s; and Hershey’s is ubiquitous enough here that it’s associated with the US. Hersheys processes milk for its milk chocolate in a way meant to make it last longer, to be cheaper for the company. This processing creates butyric acid, which is also produced during digestion, and gives Hershey’s milk chocolate that particular slightly sour tang. Hersheys is a cheap brand and also tends to use less cocoa and more vegetable fats/fillers instead of cocoa butter. Hershey’s Special Dark is actually decent, and doesn’t have that butyric acid tang since it doesn’t have milk. Or, Ghirardelli — another major US brand — is far better all the way around since it’s a higher quality chocolate and also doesn’t process milk the way Hershey’s does.
Why does Hershey bar taste different that other milk chocolate, e.g those milk chocolate bunnies that come out during Easter Apr 27, 2024
r/chocolate 2y ago
Why does the Hershey Company's chocolate taste different depending on the bar? Nov 7, 2016
r/chocolate 9y ago
The Guardian
theguardian.com › commentisfree › 2023 › jan › 04 › why-is-american-chocolate-so-disgusting-you-really-dont-want-to-know
Why is American chocolate so disgusting? You really don’t want to know | Arwa Mahdawi | The Guardian
January 5, 2023 - Readers who have had the misfortune to encounter a Hershey bar will know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s wretched stuff isn’t it? If you are in possession of a sound mind and a few functioning taste buds then I don’t see how you can possibly enjoy US chocolate. It tastes like sawdust that’s been drowned in sugar and soaked with baby vomit.
Mental Floss
mentalfloss.com › home › food
There's a Good Reason Europeans Think American Chocolate Tastes Like Vomit
March 3, 2023 - The sour notes in America’s most popular chocolate are commonly attributed to butyric acid—a compound found in spoiled butter and, yes, vomit.
HuffPost
huffpost.com › home › life › food & drink › why hershey's chocolate tastes like ... well, vomit
Why Hershey's Chocolate Tastes Like ... Well, Vomit | HuffPost Life
April 24, 2023 - It’s a provocative claim: American chocolate tastes like vomit because it literally shares properties with vomit! How true is it, though?
Reddit
reddit.com › r/iamveryculinary › why does all american chocolate taste like vomit? tee hee
r/iamveryculinary on Reddit: Why does all American chocolate taste like vomit? tee hee
February 7, 2024 - It’s from butyric acid, which is in vomit. You know what else it's in. Cheese, and a dozen and a half other dairy products. ... Yeah, but people don't put cheese in chocolate bars either.
IFLScience
iflscience.com › like-cheesy-vomit-why-does-american-chocolate-taste-so-weird-to-europeans-81838
Why Does American Chocolate Taste Like Vomit To People Outside The US? There Is Some Science To It | IFLScience
December 9, 2025 - The method kept milk usable for ... acid as a by-product. Butyric acid is perfectly safe to consume, but it's the same compound responsible for the smell of rancid butter, Parmesan cheese, and vomit....
Reddit
reddit.com › r/explainlikeimfive › eli5: why does american chocolate taste so bad in comparison to the likes of uk chocolate?
r/explainlikeimfive on Reddit: ELI5: Why does American chocolate taste so bad in comparison to the likes of UK chocolate?
October 4, 2015 -
Back when I was in Florida in 2012, I couldn't believe how bad the chocolate tasted. And I always thought it may have been in my head.
But recently I've seen a few people saying the exact same thing and I'm wondering why it tastes so bad in comparison to the chocolate we get in Europe?
It's as if it tastes like vomit..
Top answer 1 of 5
16
It's as if it tastes like vomit.. Funny you should mention that. Hershey's developed a process that allowed them to use less-than-fresh milk. It's a trade secret what the process is, but it resulted in butyric acid being created, which gave Hershey's its (unique at the time) flavour. The popularity of Hershey's led to other manufacturers trying to copy the flavour. They didn't have access to the process that Hershey's used, but they did know that butyric acid was created as a result, which led to the flavour - and so they started adding it as an ingredient. Butyric acid is the thing that makes parmesan cheese smell the way it does. Oh yes, and it's also responsible for the smell and taste of vomit.
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7
You're used to European chocolate. The different ratios of sugar, cocoa, and other ingredient gives a different flavor. You've been eating chocolate that tastes a certain way your whole life, so when you get some that tastes different, you don't enjoy it.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/interestingasfuck › american chocolate tastes weird to the rest of the world due to a substance called butyric acid that is often added. the taste has been compared to vomit by international tasters.
r/interestingasfuck on Reddit: American chocolate tastes weird to the rest of the world due to a substance called butyric acid that is often added. The taste has been compared to vomit by international tasters.
March 6, 2023 - When I was a kid (USA) my aunt brought back real chocolate from a European trip. I never wanted American “milk” chocolate ever again. ... It TASTES cheap. Compared to delicious creamy UK milk chocolate lol, trying American chocolate has a cheap vomit taste.
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Why American chocolate tastes like vomit | QI - YouTube
American chocolate is renowned for its slightly sour or tangy taste, but why? The truth lies with an acid that is also found in vomit. #QISubscribe now: http...
Published: February 7, 2021
The Express Tribune
tribune.com.pk › story › 2555093 › why-does-us-chocolate-have-a-vomit-like-aftertaste
Why does US chocolate have a vomit-like aftertaste? | The Express Tribune
July 10, 2025 - This is partly due to the use of butyric acid, which gives US chocolate a slightly sour note - which is often unsettling to European palates. But the high sugar content and additives such as corn syrup or vegetable fats are also typical of the ...
The Daily Meal
thedailymeal.com › 1254531 › the-scientific-reason-why-some-say-american-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit
The Scientific Reason Why Some Say American Chocolate Tastes Like Vomit - Daily Meal
April 16, 2023 - A few choice quotes include, "I wouldn't eat it unless I was starving and there was no cardboard to eat," "It tastes terrible," and "To me it tastes (and I'm talking specifically about Hershey's I think) like sour/gone off milk." This last comment is particularly illuminating, as one of the most common complaints about chocolate manufactured in the U.S. is that it has the unsettling taste of vomit.
Facebook
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March 26, 2021 - See posts, photos and more on Facebook.
Daily Mail
dailymail.co.uk › femail › food › article-4155658 › The-real-reason-American-chocolate-tastes-terrible.html
The real reason why American chocolate tastes so terrible | Daily Mail Online
January 25, 2017 - In 2015, Hershey's overhauled its ... tastes worse than its European cousins. Some people say the presence of the emulsifier PGPR also carries with it the taste and smell of vomit....
Quora
quora.com › Why-does-Hersheys-chocolate-taste-like-vomit
Why does Hershey's chocolate taste like vomit? - Quora
Answer (1 of 2): It has been answered. Just look at the related questions on the side. > The Hershey Process milk chocolate used in these bars is cheaper to make than other types of chocolate as it is less sensitive to the freshness of the milk. The process was developed by Milton Hershey and ...
The Takeout
thetakeout.com › why-hershey-s-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit-to-some-peopl-1846527404
This Is Why Some People Think Hershey's Chocolate Tastes Like Puke - The Takeout
July 1, 2024 - According to this 2000 article from Penn State News, the butyric acid comes from not the chocolate, but the milk in the chocolate. As fatty acids in milk decompose, in a process called lipolysis, you'll end up with that rancid taste.
Yahoo!
yahoo.com › news › hersheys-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit-094500267.html
Why Hershey's Chocolate Tastes Like ... Well, Vomit
April 24, 2023 - It's a provocative claim: American chocolate tastes like vomit because it literally shares properties with vomit! How true is it, though?
AuRise Creative
aurisecreative.com › home › blog › chemistry › american vomit chocolate
American Vomit Chocolate | Chemistry | AuRise Creative Web Design Blog
August 4, 2024 - But, the best part about Butyric acid is that it is not only literally the chemical that gives sour milk it’s delicious, “oh holy god, why did I just put that into my coffee?!” morning wake dry heave taste.
YouTube
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Why American chocolate tastes so weird
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Published: April 23, 2024
Chocolate Class
chocolateclass.wordpress.com › 2016 › 05 › 04 › american-chocolate-tastes-like-vomit
American Chocolate Tastes Like “Vomit” | Chocolate Class
May 5, 2016 - As any American knowing or living with Brits has heard, American chocolate is the absolute worst. Apparently, it even tastes like vomit or earwax to some (Severson, New York Times; 11 July 2007). O…
Chemistry World
chemistryworld.com › podcasts › butyric-acid › 1017662.article
Butyric acid | Podcast | Chemistry World
September 20, 2024 - Well, thanks to butyric acid, chocolate with that distinct ‘tangyness’ is very popular, as Louise Crane explains… ... Butyric acid is one of the characteristic, defining smells of a farmyard and also responsible for the stench of vomit.