Maple products

As a complement to the article on Maple Syrup [F 6 155] , this one is dedicated to maple products, with a particular focus on the manufacture of one of Canada's most emblematic products, maple syrup, not forgetting the derivatives developed over time from the water that slowly drains from the trunks of sugar maples. Raw sap or maple water is a highly perishable product, insofar as this slightly sweet water is gradually contaminated by bacteria, yeasts and moulds in the tubular network that collects it during the sugaring season.

As a result, effective technological solutions are needed to stabilize the derivatives that will be produced from this sap. Among the possible technical solutions, we will rely on two levers:

• on the one hand, reducing the amount of water contained in the raw sap, first by membrane filtration, then by evapo-concentration in order to increase its °Brix, which must be ≥ 66 °B at 20°C, according to regulations, and thus lower its water activity (Aw: 0.841-0.855) ;

• and, on the other hand, the retention of contaminating micro-organisms by membrane filtration, and their destruction by heat treatment at high temperatures close to 104°C, with maple syrup conditioning at a minimum temperature of 82°C.

This article has several objectives:

• present the different manufacturing processes for maple water derivatives;

• an update on maple syrup regulations;

• provide an overview of the different technologies and materials used;

• learn about other maple products and their substitutes.