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2010 Sugaring Season Survey

In mid-April 2010, an invitation to participate in a survey was sent to subscribers of two maple forums. The survey was designed to get some basic information about the operations of the respondents, to describe sanitation practices (changing tubing, spouts, etc.) and to get feedback from users about the Leader Check-valve adapter.

A Cost Analysis: Processing Maple Syrup Products

A cost analysis of processing maple sap to syrup for three fuel types, oil-, wood-, and LP gas-fired evaporators, indicates that: (1) fuel, capital, and labor are the major cost components of processing sap to syrup; (2) woodfired evaporators show a slight cost advantage over oil- and LP gas-fired evaporators; however, as the cost of wood approaches $50 per cord, wood as a fuel would no longer have this cost advantage; (3) economies of scale exist in processing maple sap to syrup; (4) in 1977 the total cost of production, including both sap production costs and processing costs, for a medium-size (750) gallons of syrup) operation was $8.36 per gallon of syrup for oil-fired evaporators, $7.97 per gallon of syrup for wood-fired evaporators, and $8.37 per gallon for LP gas-fired evaporators.

A high-throughput plasmonic tongue using an aggregation assay and nonspecific interactions: classification of taste profiles in maple syrup

A simple colorimetric test detects off-flavour profiles ofmaple syrups inminutes, which are detectable by the naked eye. As flavour profiles are due to complex mixtures of molecules, the test uses nonspecific interactions for analysing the aggregation and color change of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) induced by the different organic molecules contained in off-flavour maple syrup. The test was optimal with 13 nm citrate-capped AuNPs reacting 1 : 1 with pure maple syrup diluted 10 times. Under these conditions, normal flavour maple syrups did not react and the solution remained red, while off-flavoured maple syrups aggregated the AuNPs and the solution turned blue. Different classes of molecules were then tested to evaluate the types of compounds typically found in maple syrups reacting in the test, showing that sulfur- and amine-containing amino acids and aromatic amines caused aggregation of the AuNPs. The test was validated with 1818 maple syrup samples from the 2018 harvest in Quebec and 98% of the off-flavoured maple syrups were positively identified against the standard taste test. Preliminary tests were performed on site in maple sugar shacks to validate the applicability of the test on the production site.

A New Method for Pricing Sap

While you may think that sap pricing should be relatively simple and easy to understand, there are actually many factors that can and should affect sap prices. This article presents a new method for pricing sap and explains how it differs from the traditional pricing guidelines that have been posted annually in the Digest.

A Summary of Regulations Governing Maple Syrup Production in Wisconsin

Pure Maple Syrup production in Wisconsin is regulated primarily by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). This document assembles the various components of information to assist veteran and new producers of maple syrup in Wisconsin with the basic federal and state regulations impacting the maple syrup industry.

Achieving the Right Syrup Density

Achieving a consistent and acceptable density level for maple syrup continues to be a challenge for many producers.

Allergens and Maple Syrup Production

Processing maple syrup into value-added products can increase product diversity, sales and producer profits. When considering the variety of potential value-added products, such as salad dressings, coated nuts, seasoning products, and sauces, it is important to evaluate the ingredients for their allergen risk potential and add the proper allergen statements to food product labels. This will ensure that you produce quality products and protect potentially susceptible consumers.

Alternative fuels for evaporators

Wood chips, wood pellets, and used vegetable oil can all be used to fire properly adapted evaporators. Each has advantages and challenges.

An Alternative Measure of Yearly Maple Syrup Production

Typically, production is measured in terms of the number of gallons produced. In order to evaluate the effects of season length of maple syrup production I propose an alternative measure of seasonal maple syrup production, “Yield-per-Tap/Day.”

Ask Proctor

How long can I store sap? Sap is a highly perishable product. This article explains what happens as it is stored, and how to avoid problems.