Search Resources

Showing 241 – 250 of all 727 resources in the database

Tapping Depth & Sap Quantity

Accepted tapping practices for 7/16 inch spouts with no vacuum called for tap holes to be drilled 2-2.5 inches deep. Later practices for 5/16 inch spouts under vacuum, call for drilling the tree to a depth of 1.5 inches. The reason for the reduction in depth, was to reduce the occurrence of drilling into dead wood, especially on trees with a long history of tapping. This can lead to reduced sap yield. When the 2018 season left us with an unusually low sap yield, the question arose: does tap depth matter when the system is under vacuum?

Date:
June 1, 2019

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

Spotted Lanternfly: A New Sugarbush Threat

A new foreign invader could have a substantially negative impact on the eastern North American hardwoods in general, and sugarbushes in particular. The Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, SLF) was first detected near Philadelphia, PA in 2014 and since has spread throughout much of the Commonwealth and has been sighted in about a half dozen New York counties and in several sites in southern New England.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
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

Colour Classes of Maple Syrup (Canada)

Maple syrup that is graded Canada Grade A and is sent or conveyed from one province to another or exported, or that is graded Grade A and is imported, must be labelled with any applicable colour class that is set out in Volume 7 of the Canadian Grade Compendium [325, SFCR].

Date:
May 16, 2019

Understanding Buddy Off-flavour in Maple Syrup

Acquiring the ability to identify common off-flavours in maple syrup is important for producers. Detecting buddy off-flavour in fresh sap can be difficult, although much easier to taste in finished syrup. Buddy syrup can be described as an unpleasant chocolatey aroma and flavour having a lingering bad aftertaste. Buddy flavour in maple syrup is a food quality issue, not a food safety issue.

Date:
May 14, 2019

Perceptions of U.S. and Canadian maple syrup producers toward climate change, its impacts, and potential adaptation measures

The production of maple syrup is an important cultural and economic activity directly related to the climate of northeastern North America. As a result, there are signs that climate change could have negative impacts on maple syrup production in the next decades, particularly for regions located at the southern margins of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) range. The purpose of this survey study is to present the beliefs and opinions of maple syrup producers of Canada (N = 241) and the U.S. (N = 113) on climate change in general, its impacts on sugar maple health and maple syrup production, and potential adaptation measures.

Publication:
PLOS ONE
Date:
April 25, 2019