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Identification of Microbial Spoilage in Maple Syrup Samples

An increasing number of maple syrup samples containing floating masses or surface mold have arrived at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Conventional practices have been to discard obvious mold growths, reboil and consume the syrup. This practice may be risky, especially with the increasing number of food borne illness outbreaks with other food products.

Lecanium Scale: What A Sticky Mess!

If you have a sugarbush in the Northeast, you may have noticed brown scale insects, sticky dripping honeydew, and black sooty mold on your sugar maple leaves in 2005 and 2006. That most likely was European fruit lecanium scale, Parthenolecanium corni.

Microbial Contamination in Maple Syrup

Occasionally, maple syrup becomes contaminated with floating masses or surface mold. Conventional practices have been to discard obvious mold growths, re-boil and then consume the syrup. This practice may be risky, especially with the increasing number of food borne illness outbreaks with other food products and the resulting negative publicity surrounding these outbreaks.

Preventing mould in packed maple syrup

Preventing mould in packed maple syrup can be a challenge. Cold-packing syrup usually guarantees mould will grow in bottled containers and can impart off-flavour in the syrup. Maple researchers at the University of Maine and at Carleton University in Ontario are investigating whether current hot packing recommendations require refinement to preserve quality and prevent mould in syrup.