Institution: Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique acéricole inc.

Showing 1 – 8 of 8 resources

Effect of the new high vacuum technology on the chemical composition of maple sap and syrup

Techniques used to produce maple syrup have considerably evolved over the last decades making them more efficient and economically profitable. However, these advances must respect composition and quality standards as well as authenticity of maple products. Recently, a new and improved high vacuum technology has been made available to producers to achieve higher sap yields. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate the effect of this new system on the yield of sap and on the sap and syrup chemical composition.

Publication:
Heliyon
Date:
June 1, 2019

Characterization and Removal of Buddy Off-Flavor in Maple Syrup

Buddy maple syrup is characterized by an unpleasant cabbage?like flavor occurring generally toward the end of the sap harvest season. Occurrence of buddy off?flavor leads to a decrease in syrup value and economic loss for the industry. It is therefore relevant to characterize the off?flavor in order to apply corrective treatments. HS?SPME combined with GC/MS was applied to analyze volatile aroma compounds in buddy maple syrup samples. Two novel volatile sulfur compounds were found in maple syrup: dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide. A 3?alternative forced choice in ascending concentration of different buddy syrups diluted in good quality syrup was conducted in triplicate to assess buddy syrup concentration thresholds leading to detection and recognition of the off?flavor by 16 panelists while monitoring volatile aroma compounds in diluted samples. Results showed that DMDS was associated with the flavor defect. The recognition threshold concentration of buddy syrup varies depending on the syrup sample and the off?flavor can be detected in syrups containing very low DMDS content. Application of a continuous heat treatment on buddy syrups for 2 hr at 104.5 ¡C led to a removal of the buddy off?flavor as well as a significant reduction in DMDS content.

Publication:
Journal of Food Science
Date:
May 23, 2019

Chemical and microbial characterization of ropy maple sap and syrup

Ropiness of maple syrup is a phenomenon that can occur several times in the season. The alteration known as ÒropinessÓ is characterized by a viscous, thick, slimy/jelly-like texture which, although not noticeably altering the taste, renders the product unpleasant in terms of mouthfeel. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of production of ropy maple syrup in the region of Quebec, to more deeply identify and characterize bacteria associated to this type of quality defect, and to study the composition of Polysaccharides found in stringy maple syrup.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
December 1, 2018

Ropy Maple syrup

Analysis of research into causes of ropy syrup and prevention.

Date:
October 27, 2018

A systems biology approach to explore the impact of maple tree dormancy release on sap variation and maple syrup quality

Maple sap is a complex nutrient matrix collected during spring to produce maple syrup. The characteristics of sap change over the production period and its composition directly impacts syrup quality. This variability could in part be attributed to changes in tree metabolism following dormancy release, but little is known about these changes in deciduous trees. Therefore, understanding the variation in sap composition associated with dormancy release could help pinpoint the causes of some defects in maple syrup. In particular, a defect known as ÒbuddyÓ, is an increasing concern for the industry. This off-flavor appears around the time of bud break, hence its name. To investigate sap variation related to bud break and the buddy defect, we monitored sap variation with respect to a dormancy release index (Sbb) and syrup quality. First, we looked at variation in amino acid content during this period. We observed a shift in amino acid relative proportions associated with dormancy release and found that most of them increase rapidly near the point of bud break, correlating with changes in syrup quality. Second, we identified biological processes that respond to variation in maple sap by performing a competition assay using the barcoded Saccharomyces cerevisiae prototroph deletion collection. This untargeted approach revealed that the organic sulfur content may be responsible for the development of the buddy off-flavor, and that dormancy release is necessary for the appearance of the defect, but other factors such as microbial activity may also be contributing.

Publication:
Nature
Date:
October 2, 2018

Potential Plastic Residues in Maple Sap and Syrup Following Isopropyl Alcohol Sanitation of the Tubing System

In recent years isopropyl alcohol (IPA) sanitation was proposed after the sugar season to significantly reduce the microbial load and start the next sugar season with a sanitized system. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential leaching of chemical compounds found in plastic polymers used in maple sap collection system tubing.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
October 1, 2017

Analysis of plastic residues in maple sap and syrup collected from tubing systems sanitized with isopropyl alcohol

A plastic tubing system operated under vacuum is usually used to collect sap from maple trees during spring time to produce maple syrup. This system is commonly sanitized with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to remove microbial contamination colonizing the system during the sugar season. Questions have been raised whether IPA would contribute to the leaching of plastic residues in maple sap and syrup coming from sanitized systems.

Publication:
Heliyon
Date:
May 22, 2017