NEW YORK - Major brands have been removing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from some of their products and replacing it with sugar, a move that Advertising Age characterized earlier this week as "bowing to consumer demands."

Hunt??s ketchup, Gatorade, and Wheat Thins are among the biggest names to permanently trade HFCS for sugar, while Pepsi and Mountain Dew have launched limited-time, sugar-sweetened versions of their drinks. And it??s a move that at least one supermarket analyst applauded.

"We know moms don't like it, and they don't want to feed it to their kids," said supermarket expert Phil Lempert. "As a result, the brands that lead the pack to get rid of it, they're going to see an uptick in sales."

However, don??t count on the brands to tout the switch, as analysts maintain that unless they make the sugar switch for all of their products, it risks pointing out a negative ?" undermining those products retaining HFCS.

"There is a risk there," said Gary Hemphill, managing director-chief operating officer at Beverage Marketing Corp. "That's one of the reasons I don't see it being a centerpiece to a marketing campaign."

As a result, Heinz is launching "Simply Heinz" this month, though the rest of its portfolio will continue to use HFCS. Heinz said that it was not planning a dedicated marketing campaign for the new sugar-only line.

PepsiCo is perhaps making the biggest splash with its sugar transition. However, its campaign is of a limited nature ?" two eight-week periods ?" a temporary placement that Advertising Age characterized as "insulated from the concerns plaguing marketers" who made permanent formula changes.

Industry experts said that the change has been sparked by consumers who have begun to question the use of HFCS, opting instead for ingredients that they perceive as more natural.

The Corn Refiners Association has launched an aggressive advertising and PR offensive to counter the sugar move, trying to "dispel the myth" that HFCS is less healthy than sugar.