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 Answer from Phaeomolis on reddit.com
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 38
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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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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.
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.
Videos
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.
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/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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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.
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/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 - But to say it taste like vomit is just wrong a ... Ah, so it’s not just me then! I tried some American chocolate my colleague brought last year and it tasted like puke. I thought something was wrong with me.
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 ...
Quora
quora.com › Why-does-Hersheys-chocolate-taste-like-vomit
Why does Hershey's chocolate taste like vomit? - Quora
That aftertaste you describe is ... time you open a can. You'll immediately recognize it. ... According to me, Hersheys don't taste like vomit....
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
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 - American chocolate is renowned for its slightly sour or tangy taste. And some experts believe that's because some companies such as Hershey's puts its milk through a process called controlled lipolysis.
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.
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.
Facebook
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March 26, 2021 - See posts, photos and more on Facebook
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.
Sal's Arcanum
salsarcanum.wordpress.com › 2021 › 08 › 18 › why-some-chocolates-taste-like-vomit
Why Some Chocolates Taste Like Vomit | Sal's Arcanum
August 18, 2021 - While a lover of American chocolate ... to chocolate from, say, Belgium or the United Kingdom. So, no, you did not imagine that taste of baby vomit in American chocolate....
Yahoo!
sports.yahoo.com › 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?
Quora
quora.com › Is-it-true-that-U-S-chocolate-is-made-with-an-organic-acid-that-appears-in-vomit
Is it true that U.S. chocolate is made with an organic acid that appears in vomit? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): Not made with, ... has C4 fatty acids like butyric and valeric. Both compounds can be found in half digested milk aka baby puke. Americans became accustomed to and expe......
AuRise Creative
aurisecreative.com › home › blog › chemistry › american vomit chocolate
American Vomit Chocolate | Chemistry | AuRise Creative Web Design Blog
August 4, 2024 - This is the method the chocolate manufacturers go for in the U.S. So in the U.S. the milk is intentionally partially soured to increase shelf life and profit. To a non-American, this is akin to urinating on a steak to keep animals away!