Showing 21 – 25 of 25 resources
This brochure is intended to raise awareness among sugarmakers about hazardous chemicals commonly being used in sugaring operations as well as the need to use these materials safely, in a way which protects personal and food product safety. This brochure will outline 1) the most common types of chemical hazards associated with sugarhouse chemicals, 2) basic guidelines for using chemicals safely, and 3) where to get more detailed information.
This article reports on experiments to determine the usefulness of ozone as a method of reducing the microbial levels in maple sap.
The advent of plastic tubing systems to collect sap has eliminated several problems associated with the traditional bucket system. However, plastic tubing systems also present some problems of their own. Sap quality problems arise if the lines sag and the sap lingers within the tubings or the large conduits. In addition, the warming effect of the sun increases the tem perature within the tubing to optimum levels for microbial growth and sap flow may decrease because of “organic buildup” on the internal tubing walls. This buildup is a result of the adhesion of microorganisms to the tubing walls.
We initiated a controlled test of the effect of in-line UV light on the microorganisms in free-flowing sugar maple sap that had not been treated by PFA pellets at the taphole. We also wanted to test the effect of temperature-controlled sap storage for five intervals up to 7 days (167 h) prior to processing to syrup.
Maple syrup made from sap collected using improperly or carelessly installed plastic pipelines varied more in color from day to day, and was more often darker in color, than sap collected from either the property installed pipeline or clean, frequently emptied galvanized buckets. Use of both properly installed tubing and buckets, following recommended procedures, produced light colored syrup of equal quality throughout the entire maple syrup season.