OMAHA, Neb., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hunt's®, a ConAgra Foods brand, is pleased to announce that it has removed the high fructose corn syrup from every bottle of its ketchup products. Hunt's 100% Natural Ketchup brings forth the naturally rich tomato flavor of Hunt's tomatoes and contains only five simple ingredients: tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt and other seasonings, with no high fructose corn syrup, artificial ingredients or preservatives.

"In direct response to consumer demand(1), Hunt's is pleased to offer ketchup sweetened with sugar and containing only five simple ingredients," said Ryan Toreson, Hunt's Ketchup brand manager. "Parents are looking for wholesome meals and ingredients they recognize—and the taste of Hunt's ketchup is something both kids and adults love. Even with the new recipe, we have maintained the same great tangy, sweet taste that Hunt's has always had and that consumers tell us they prefer."

Hunt's 100% Natural Ketchup began rolling out to major markets nationwide in mid-April. Consumers should be able to find product on shelves everywhere by mid-May. Suggested retail pricing for the new Hunt's ketchup recipe is the same as the previous recipe.

ABOUT HUNT'S

Hunt's, a brand of ConAgra Foods, Inc., was founded more than 100 years ago by Joseph and William Hunt, who created the Hunt Brothers Packing Company in Oakdale, Calif. Since then, Hunt's has grown to become one of the largest tomato processors in the world. All varieties are available at grocery and mass retailers nationwide.

ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS

ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's leading food companies, with brands in 96 percent of America's households. Consumers find Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip and many ConAgra Foods brands in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise and club stores. ConAgra Foods also has a strong business-to-business presence, supplying potato, other vegetable, spice and grain products to a variety of well-known restaurants, foodservice operators and commercial customers. For more information, please visit us at www.huntsketchup.com or www.conagrafoods.com.

(1) The 2009 HealthFocus® Trend Report indicated consumer concern over high fructose corn syrup has risen from 27% of shoppers being extremely or very concerned in 2004 to 45% of shoppers in 2008.

SOURCE ConAgra Foods