Sources Edit

History Edit

Processing Edit

A traditional bucket tap and a plastic-bag tap Open pan evaporation methods have been streamlined since colonial days, but remain basically unchanged. Sap must first be collected and boiled down to obtain pure syrup without chemical agents or preservatives. Maple syrup is made by boiling between 20 and 50 volumes of sap (depending on its concentration) over an open fire until 1 volume of syrup is obtained, usually at a temperature 4.1 °C (7.4 °F) over the boiling point of water. As the boiling point of water varies with changes in air pressure the correct value for pure water is determined at the place where the syrup is being produced, each time evaporation is begun and periodically throughout the day.[25] Syrup can be boiled entirely over one heat source or can be drawn off into smaller batches and boiled at a more controlled temperature. Boiling the syrup is a tightly controlled process, which ensures appropriate sugar content. Syrup boiled too long will eventually crystallize, whereas under-boiled syrup will be watery, and will quickly spoil. The finished syrup has a density of 66° on the Brix scale (a hydrometric scale used to measure sugar solutions). The syrup is then filtered to remove sugar sand, crystals made up largely of sugar and calcium malate.[33] These crystals are not toxic, but create a "gritty" texture in the syrup if not filtered out. In addition to open pan evaporation methods, many large producers use the more fuel efficient reverse osmosis procedure to separate the water from the sap.[35] The higher the sugar content of the sap, the smaller the volume of sap is needed to obtain the same amount of syrup. 57 units of sap with 1.5 percent sugar content will yield 1 unit of syrup, but only 25 units of sap with a 3.5 percent sugar content are needed to obtain one unit of syrup.[36] The sap's sugar content is highly variable and will fluctuate even within the same tree.[37] The filtered syrup is graded and packaged while still hot, usually at a temperature of 82 °C (180 °F) or greater. The containers are turned over after being sealed to sterilize the cap with the hot syrup. Packages can be made of metal, glass, or coated plastic, depending on volume and target market. The syrup can also be heated longer and further processed to create a variety of other maple products, including maple sugar, maple butter or cream, and maple candy or taffy. Maple sap harvesting Off-flavours Edit Off-flavours can sometimes develop during the production of maple syrup, resulting from contaminants in the boiling apparatus (such as disinfectants), microorganisms, fermentation products, metallic can flavours, and "buddy sap", an off-flavour occurring late in the syrup season when tree budding has begun.[40] In some circumstances, it is possible to remove off-flavours through processing.[40][41]

Production Edit

Pouring the sap A "sugar shack" where sap is boiling. Maple syrup in Quebec is typically sold in cans with this distinctive design Regions in Canada and United-States where maple syrup can be produced. Maple syrup production is centred in northeastern North America; however, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever suitable species of maple trees grow. A maple syrup production farm is called a "sugarbush" or "sugarwood". Sap is often boiled in a "sugar house" (also known as a "sugar shack", "sugar shanty", or cabane à sucre), a building louvered at the top to vent the steam from the boiling sap.[42] Maples are usually tapped beginning at 30 to 40 years of age. Each tree can support between one and three taps, depending on its trunk diameter. The average maple tree will produce 35 to 50 litres (9.2 to 13.2 US gal) of sap per season, up to 12 litres (3.2 US gal) per day. This is roughly equal to seven percent of its total sap. Seasons last for four to eight weeks, depending on the weather.[44] During the day, starch stored in the roots for the winter rises through the trunk as sugary sap, allowing it to be tapped.[24] Sap is not tapped at night because the temperature drop inhibits sap flow, although taps are typically left in place overnight.[45] Some producers also tap in autumn, though this practice is less common than spring tapping. Maples can continue to be tapped for sap until they are over 100 years old.

Commerce Edit

Markings Edit

Under Canadian Maple Product Regulations, containers of maple syrup must include the words "maple syrup", its grade name and net quantity in litres or millilitres, on the main display panel with a minimum font size of 1.6 mm.[57][58] If the maple syrup is of Canada Grade A level, the name of the colour class must appear on the label in both English and French.[57] Also, the lot number or production code, and either: (1) the name and address of the sugar bush establishment, packing or shipper establishment, or (2) the first dealer and the registration number of the packing establishment, must be labeled on any display panel other than the bottom.[57][58]

Grades Edit

See also: Food grading Following an effort from the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI) and many maple syrup producer associations, both Canada and the United States have altered their laws regarding the classification of maple syrup to be uniform. Whereas in the past each state or province had their own laws on the classification of maple syrup, now those laws define a unified grading system. This had been a work in progress for several years, and most of the finalization of the new grading system was made in 2014. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced in the Canada Gazette on 28 June 2014 that rules for the sale of maple syrup would be amended to include new descriptors, at the request of the IMSI.[59] As of December 31, 2014, the CFIA[59] and as of March 2, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service[60] issued revised standards intended to harmonize Canada-United States regulations on the classification of maple syrup as follows: Grade A Golden Colour and Delicate Taste Amber Colour and Rich Taste Dark Colour and Robust Taste Very Dark Colour and Strong Taste

Processing Grade

Substandard As long as maple syrup does not have an off-flavour, is of a uniform colour, and is free from turbidity and sediment, it can be labelled as one of the A grades. If it exhibits any problems, it does not meet Grade A requirements, and then must be labelled as Processing Grade maple syrup and may not be sold in containers smaller than 5 gallons.[59][60] If maple syrup does not meet the requirements of Processing Grade maple syrup (including a fairly characteristic maple taste), it is classified as Substandard.[59][60] This grading system was accepted and made law by most maple-producing states and provinces, and became compulsory in Canada as of 13 December 2016.[61] Vermont, in an effort to "jump-start" the new grading regulations, adopted the new grading system as of January 1, 2014, after the grade changes passed the Senate and House in 2013. Maine passed a bill to take effect as soon as both Canada and the United States adopted the new grades. In New York, the new grade changes became law on January 1, 2015. New Hampshire did not require legislative approval and so the new grade laws became effective as of December 16, 2014, and producer compliance was required as of January 1, 2016.[62] Golden and Amber grades typically have a milder flavour than Dark and Very dark, which are both dark and have an intense maple flavour.[63] The darker grades of syrup are used primarily for cooking and baking, although some specialty dark syrups are produced for table use.[64] Syrup harvested earlier in the season tends to yield a lighter colour.[65] With the new grading system, the classification of maple syrup depends ultimately on its internal transmittance at 560 nm wavelength through a 10 mm sample. Golden must have 75 percent or more transmittance, Amber must have 50.0 to 74.9 percent transmittance, Dark must have 25.0 to 49.9 percent transmittance, and Very Dark is any product having less than 25.0 percent transmittance.[60] Old grading system Edit Grade A Light Amber ("Fancy"), Grade A Medium Amber, Grade A Dark Amber, Grade B Old US maple syrup grades, left to right: In Canada, maple syrup was classified prior to December 31, 2014, by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as one of three grades, each with several colour classes:[59] Canada No. 1, including Extra Light, Light, and Medium;

No. 2 Amber; and

No. 3 Dark or any other ungraded category. Producers in Ontario or Quebec may have followed either federal or provincial grading guidelines.[59] Quebec's and Ontario's guidelines differed slightly from the federal: there were two "number" categories in Quebec Number 1, with four colour classes, and Number 2, with five colour classes. [66]

As in Quebec, Ontario's producers had two "number" grades: Number 1, with three colour classes; and Number 2, with one colour class, which was typically referred to as "Ontario Amber" when produced and sold in that province only. [67]

A typical year's yield for a maple syrup producer will be about 25 to 30 percent of each of the #1 colours, 10 percent #2 Amber, and 2 percent #3 Dark. The United States used (some states still do, as they await state regulation) different grading standards. Maple syrup was divided into two major grades: Grade A: Light Amber (sometimes known as Fancy), Medium Amber, and Dark Amber. and,

Grade B. In Massachusetts, the Grade B was renamed as Grade A Very Dark, Strong Taste.[68] The Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets used a similar grading system of colour, and is roughly equivalent, especially for lighter syrups, but using letters: "AA", "A", etc.[69] The Vermont grading system differed from the US system in maintaining a slightly higher standard of product density (measured on the Baumé scale). New Hampshire maintained a similar standard, but not a separate state grading scale. The Vermont-graded product had 0.9 percent more sugar and less water in its composition than US-graded. One grade of syrup not for table use, called commercial or Grade C, was also produced under the Vermont system.[63]

Packing regulations Edit

In Canada, the packing of maple syrup must follow the "Packing" conditions stated in the Maple Products Regulations, or utilize the equivalent Canadian or imported grading system.[57] As stated in the Maple Products Regulations, Canadian maple syrup can be classified as "Canadian Grade A" and "Canadian Processing Grade". Any maple syrup container under these classifications should be filled to at least 90% of the bottle size while still containing the net quantity of syrup product as stated on the label. Every container of maple syrup must be new if it has a capacity of 5 litres or less or is marked with a grade name. Every container of maple sugar must also be new if it has a capacity of less than 5 kg or is either exported out of Canada or conveyed from one province to another.[57] Each maple syrup product must be verified clean if it follows a grade name or if it is exported out of the province in which it was originally manufactured.[57]

Nutrition and food characteristics Edit

Imitations Edit

In Canada, maple syrup must be made entirely from maple sap, and syrup must have a density of 66° on the Brix scale to be marketed as maple syrup. In the United States, maple syrup must be made almost entirely from maple sap, although small amounts of substances such as salt may be added.[83] Labeling laws prohibit imitation syrups from having "maple" in their names unless the finished product contains 10 percent or more of natural maple syrup.[83] "Maple-flavoured" syrups include maple syrup, but may contain additional ingredients.[83] "Pancake syrup", "waffle syrup", "table syrup", and similarly named syrups are substitutes which are less expensive than maple syrup. In these syrups, the primary ingredient is most often high-fructose corn syrup flavoured with sotolon; they have little genuine maple content, and are usually thickened above the viscosity of maple syrup.[84] Imitation syrups are generally cheaper than maple syrup, with less natural flavour.[84] In the United States, consumers generally prefer imitation syrups, likely because of the significantly lower cost and sweeter flavour;[85][86] they typically cost about $8 per gallon (1 US gallon (3.8 litres)), whereas authentic maple syrup costs $40 to $60 per gallon (2015 prices).[86] In 2016, maple syrup producers from nine US states petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate labeling of products containing maple syrup or using the word "maple" in manufactured products, indicating that imitation maple products contained insignificant amounts of natural maple syrup.[87] In September 2016, the FDA published a consumer advisory to carefully inspect the ingredient list of products labeled as "maple".[88]

Cultural significance Edit

See also Edit

References Edit