Listing Description:
Maple
syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar
maple, red maple, or black
maple trees, although it can
also be made from other maple species.
Detailed Description:
In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before
the winter; the starch is then converted to sugar that rises in the sap in late
winter and early spring. Maple trees are tapped by drilling holes into their
trunks and collecting the exuded sap, which is processed by heating to
evaporate much of the water, leaving the concentrated syrup.
Maple syrup was first collected and used by the indigenous
peoples of North America, and the practice was adopted by
European settlers, who gradually refined production methods. Technological
improvements in the 1970s further refined syrup processing. The Canadian
province of Quebec is by far the
largest producer, responsible for 75% of the world's output; Canadian exports
of maple syrup in 2014 were C$ 380 million (approximately US$ 300
million), with Quebec accounting for 85% of this total.[1] Vermont is the largest producer in the
United States, generating about 6% of the global supply.
Maple syrup is graded according to the Canada, United
States, or Vermont scales based on its density and translucency. Sucrose is the most prevalent sugar in
maple syrup. In Canada, syrups must be made exclusively from maple sap to
qualify as maple syrup and must also be at least 66 percent sugar.[2] In the United States, a syrup
must be made almost entirely from maple sap to be labelled as
"maple", though states such as Vermont and New York have more restrictive definitions
(see below).
Maple syrup is often eaten with pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal or porridge. It is also used as an ingredient
in baking, and as a sweetener or flavouring
agent. Culinary experts have praised its unique flavour, although the chemistry
responsible is not fully understood.[3]
Sources
Three species of maple trees are predominantly used to
produce maple syrup: the sugar maple (Acer saccharum), the black maple (A. nigrum), and the red maple (A. rubrum),[4] because of the high sugar
content (roughly two to five percent) in the sap of these species.[5] The black maple is included as
a subspecies or variety in a more broadly viewed concept
of A. saccharum, the sugar maple, by some botanists.[6] Of these, the red maple has a
shorter season because it buds earlier than sugar and black maples, which
alters the flavour of the sap.[7]
A few other (but not all) species of maple (Acer) are also sometimes
used as sources of sap for producing maple syrup, including the box elder or Manitoba maple (Acer negundo),[8] the silver maple (A. saccharinum),[9] and the bigleaf maple (A. macrophyllum).[10] Similar syrups may also be
produced from birch or palm trees, among other sources.
History
Indigenous
peoples
Indigenous
peoples living in northeastern North America were the first
groups known to have produced maple syrup and maple sugar. According to
aboriginal oral traditions, as well as archaeological evidence, maple tree sap
was being processed into syrup long before Europeans arrived in the region.[13][14]There are no authenticated accounts
of how maple syrup production and consumption began,[15] but various legends exist; one
of the most popular involves maple sap being used in place of water to
cook venison served to a chief.[14] Other stories credit the
development of maple syrup production to Nanabozho, Glooskap, or the squirrel. Aboriginal tribes developed rituals
around sugar-making, celebrating the Sugar Moon (the first full moon of spring) with a Maple Dance.[16] Many aboriginal dishes
replaced the salt traditional in European cuisine with maple sugar or syrup.[14]
The Algonquians recognized
maple sap as a source of energy and nutrition. At the beginning of the spring
thaw, they used stone tools to
make V-shaped incisions in tree trunks; they then inserted reeds or concave
pieces of bark to run the sap into buckets, which were often made from birch
bark.[15] The maple sap was concentrated
either by dropping hot cooking stones into the buckets[17] or by leaving them exposed to
the cold temperatures overnight and disposing of the layer of ice that
formed on top. While there was widespread agriculture in
Mesoamerica and the Southeast and Southwest regions of the
United States, the production of maple syrup is one of only a few agricultural
processes in the Northeast that is not a European colonial import.[15]
In the early stages of European colonization in
northeastern North America, local Indigenous peoples showed the arriving
colonists how to tap the trunks of certain types of maples during the spring
thaw to harvest the sap.[18] André Thevet, the "Royal Cosmographer of
France", wrote about Jacques Cartier drinking maple sap during
his Canadian voyages.[19] By 1680, European settlers
and fur traders were involved in harvesting
maple products.[20] However, rather than making
incisions in the bark, the Europeans used the method of drilling tapholes in
the trunks with augers. During the
17th and 18th centuries, processed maple sap was used primarily as a source of
concentrated sugar, in both liquid and crystallized-solid form, as cane sugar had to be imported from
the West Indies.[15][16]
Maple sugaring parties typically began to operate at
the start of the spring thaw in regions of woodland with sufficiently large
numbers of maples.[18] Syrup makers first bored holes
in the trunks, usually more than one hole per large tree; they then inserted
wooden spouts into the holes and hung a wooden bucket from the protruding end
of each spout to collect the sap. The buckets were commonly made by cutting
cylindrical segments from a large tree trunk and then hollowing out each
segment's core from one end of the cylinder, creating a seamless, watertight
container.[15] Sap filled the buckets, and
was then either transferred to larger holding vessels (barrels, large pots, or
hollowed-out wooden logs), often mounted on sledges or wagons pulled by draft animals, or carried in buckets or other
convenient containers.[21] The sap-collection buckets
were returned to the spouts mounted on the trees, and the process was repeated
for as long as the flow of sap remained "sweet". The specific weather
conditions of the thaw period were, and still are, critical in determining the
length of the sugaring season.[22] As the weather continues to
warm, a maple tree's normal early spring biological process eventually alters
the taste of the sap, making it unpalatable, perhaps due to an increase in
amino acids.[9]
The boiling process was very time-consuming. The
harvested sap was transported back to the party's base camp, where it was then
poured into large vessels (usually made from metal) and boiled to achieve the
desired consistency.[15] The sap was usually transported
using large barrels pulled by horses or oxen to a central collection point,
where it was processed either over a fire built out in the open or inside a
shelter built for that purpose (the "sugar shack").
Since
1850
Around the time of the American Civil War,
syrup makers started using large, flat sheet metal pans as they were more
efficient for boiling than heavy, rounded iron kettles, because of a greater
surface area for evaporation.[23] Around this time, cane sugar
replaced maple sugar as the dominant sweetener in the US; as a result,
producers focused marketing efforts on maple syrup. The first evaporator, used
to heat and concentrate sap, was patented in 1858. In 1872, an evaporator was
developed that featured two pans and a metal arch or firebox, which greatly
decreased boiling time.[15] Around 1900, producers bent
the tin that formed the bottom of a pan into a series of flues,
which increased the heated surface area of the pan and again decreased boiling
time. Some producers also added a finishing pan, a separate batch evaporator,
as a final stage in the evaporation process.[23]
Buckets began to be replaced with plastic bags, which
allowed people to see at a distance how much sap had been collected. Syrup
producers also began using tractors to haul vats of sap from the trees being
tapped (the sugarbush) to the evaporator. Some producers adopted motor-powered
tappers and metal tubing systems to convey sap from the tree to a central
collection container, but these techniques were not widely used.[15] Heating methods also
diversified: modern producers use wood, oil, natural gas, propane, or steam to evaporate sap.[23]Modern filtration methods were
perfected to prevent contamination of the syrup.[24]
A large number of technological changes took place
during the 1970s. Plastic tubing systems that had been experimental since the
early part of the century were perfected, and the sap came directly from the
tree to the evaporator house.[25]Vacuum pumps were added to the tubing
systems, and preheaters were developed to recycle heat lost in the steam. Producers
developed reverse-osmosis machines
to take a portion of water out of the sap before it was boiled, increasing
processing efficiency.[15]
Improvements in tubing and vacuum pumps, new filtering
techniques, "supercharged" preheaters, and better storage containers
have since been developed. Research continues on pest control and improved woodlot
management.[15] In 2009, researchers at
the University of Vermont unveiled
a new type of tap that prevents backflow of sap into the tree, reducing bacterial contamination and preventing
the tree from attempting to heal the bore hole.[26] Experiments show that it may
be possible to use saplings in a plantation instead of mature trees
dramatically boosting productivity per acre.[27]
Processing
Open pan evaporation methods have been streamlined
since colonial days, but remain basically unchanged. Sap must first be
collected and boiled down to obtain pure syrup without chemical agents or
preservatives. Maple syrup is made by boiling between 20 and 50 volumes of sap
(depending on its concentration) over an open fire until 1 volume of syrup is
obtained, usually at a temperature 4.1 °C (7.4 °F) over the boiling
point of water. As the boiling point of water varies with changes in air
pressure the correct value for pure water is determined at the place where the
syrup is being produced, each time evaporation is begun and periodically
throughout the day.[23][28] Syrup can be boiled entirely
over one heat source or can be drawn off into smaller batches and boiled at a
more controlled temperature.[29]
Boiling the syrup is a tightly controlled process,
which ensures appropriate sugar content. Syrup boiled too long will eventually
crystallize, whereas under-boiled syrup will be watery, and will quickly spoil.
The finished syrup has a density of 66° on
the Brix scale (a hydrometric scale used to measure sugar
solutions).[30] The syrup is then filtered to
remove sugar sand, crystals
made up largely of sugar and calcium malate.[31] These crystals are not toxic,
but create a "gritty" texture in the syrup if not filtered out.[32]
In addition to open pan evaporation methods, many large
producers use the more fuel efficient reverse osmosis procedure to separate the
water from the sap.[33]
The higher the sugar content of the sap, the fewer the
gallons of sap are needed to obtain one gallon of syrup. 57 gallons of sap with
1.5% sugar content will yield 1 gallon of syrup, but only 25 gallons of sap
with a 3.5% sugar content are needed to obtain one gallon of syrup.[34] The sap's sugar content is
highly variable and will fluctuate even within the same tree.[35]
The filtered syrup is graded and packaged while still
hot, usually at a temperature of 82 °C (180 °F) or greater. The
containers are turned over after being sealed to sterilize the cap with the hot
syrup. Packages can be made of metal, glass, or coated plastic, depending on
volume and target market.[36] The syrup can also be heated
longer and further processed to create a variety of other maple products,
including maple sugar, maple butter or cream, and maple candy or taffy.
Off-flavours
Off-flavours can
sometimes develop during the production of maple syrup; causes include
contaminants in the boiling apparatus, such as paint or cleanser; changes in
the sap, such as fermentation when
it has been left sitting too long; and changes in the tree, such as "buddy
sap" late in the season when budding has begun.[38] In some circumstances it is
possible to remove off-flavours through processing.[39]
Production
Maple syrup production is centred in northeastern North
America; however, given the correct weather conditions, it can be made wherever
suitable species of maple trees grow.
A maple syrup production farm is called a "sugarbush" or "sugarwood". Sap
is often boiled in a "sugar house"
(also known as a "sugar shack," "sugar shanty," or cabane
à sucre), a building louvered at the top to
vent the steam from the boiling sap.[40]
Maples are usually tapped beginning at 30 to 40 years
of age. Each tree can support between one and three taps, depending on its
trunk diameter. The average maple tree will produce 35 to 50 litres (9.2 to
13.2 US gal) of sap per season, up to 12 litres
(3.2 US gal) per day.[41] This is roughly equal to 7% of
its total sap. Seasons last for four to eight weeks, depending on the weather.[42] During the day, starch stored
in the roots for the winter rises through the trunk as sugary sap, allowing it
to be tapped.[22] Sap is not tapped at night
because the temperature drop inhibits sap flow, although taps are typically
left in place overnight.[43] Some producers also tap in
autumn, though this practice is less common than spring tapping. Maples can
continue to be tapped for sap until they are over 100 years old.[41]
Commerce
Until the 1930s, the United States produced most of the
world's maple syrup.[44] Today, after rapid growth in
the 1990s, Canada produces more than 80 percent of
the world's maple syrup, producing about 26,500,000 litres
(7,000,000 US gal) in 2004. The vast majority of this comes from the
province of Quebec, which is the world's largest producer,
with about 75 percent of global production totalling 24,660,000 litres (6,510,000 US gal)
in 2005.[45] As of 2003, Quebec had more
than 7,000 producers, collectively making over 24,000,000 litres
(6,300,000 US gal) of syrup.[46] Production in Quebec is
controlled through a supply
management system, with producers receiving quota allotments
from the Federation
of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (Fédération des producteurs
acéricoles du Québec), which also maintains reserves of syrup[47] although there is a
black-market trade in Quebec product.[48][49] Canada exports more than
9,400,000 litres (2,500,000 US gal) of maple syrup per year, valued
at more than C$145 million.[25][50] The provinces of Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island produce
smaller amounts of syrup.[45]
The Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan produce maple syrup using
the sap of the box elder or Manitoba maple (Acer
negundo).[8] A Manitoba maple tree's yield
is usually less than half that of a similar sugar maple tree.[51]Manitoba maple syrup has a slightly
different flavour from sugar-maple syrup, because it contains less sugar and
the tree's sap flows more slowly.
Vermont is the
biggest US producer, with over 1,320,000 US gallons (5,000,000 L) during
the 2013 season, followed by New York with 574,000 US gallons
(2,170,000 L) and Maine with 450,000 US
gallons (1,700,000 L). Wisconsin, Ohio, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all produced marketable
quantities of maple syrup of less than 265,000 US gallons (1,000,000 L)
each in 2013.[52] As of 2003, Vermont produced
about 5.5 percent of the global syrup supply.[46]
Maple syrup has been produced on a small scale in some
other countries, notably Japan and South Korea.[53] However, in South Korea in
particular, it is traditional to consume maple sap, called gorosoe,
instead of processing it into syrup.[54]
In 2013, 65% of Canadian maple syrup exports went to
the United States (a value of C$178 million), 9% to Japan (C$25 million), 8% to
Germany (C$22 million) and 4.3% to the United Kingdom (C$12 million).
Grades
See also: Food grading
Following an effort from the International Maple Syrup
Institute (IMSI) and many maple syrup producer associations, both Canada and
the United States have altered their laws regarding the classification of maple
syrup to be uniform. Whereas in the past each state or province had their own
laws on the classification of maple syrup, now those laws define a unified
grading system. This had been a work in progress for several years, and most of
the finalization of the new grading system was made in 2014. The Canadian Food
Inspection Agency announced in the Canada Gazette on 28 June 2014 that rules
for the sale of maple syrup would be amended to include new descriptors, at the
request of the IMSI.[56]
As of December 31, 2014, the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA)[57] and as of March 2, 2015, the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS)[58] issued revised standards on
the classification of maple syrup as follows:
·
Grade
A
·
Golden
Colour and Delicate Taste
·
Amber
Colour and Rich Taste
·
Dark
Colour and Robust Taste
·
Very
Dark Colour and Strong Taste
·
Processing
Grade
·
Substandard
As long as maple syrup does not have an off-flavour and
is of a uniform colour and clean and free from cloudiness, turbidity, and
sediment, it can be identified as one of the A grades. If it exhibits any of
these problems, it does not meet Grade A requirements and must be labeled as
Processing Grade maple syrup and may not be sold to the consumer. If maple
syrup does not meet the requirements of Processing Grade maple syrup (including
a fairly characteristic maple taste), it is classified as Substandard.[58]
As of February 2015, this grading system has been
accepted and made law by most maple-producing states and provinces, other than
Ontario, Quebec, and Ohio. Vermont, in an effort to "jump-start" the
new grading regulations, adopted the new grading system as of January 1, 2014,
after the grade changes passed the Senate and House in 2013. Maine passed a
bill to take effect as soon as both Canada and the United States adopted the
new grades. They are allowing a one-year grace period. In New York, the new
grade changes became law on January 1, 2015, with a one-year grace period. New
Hampshire did not require legislative approval and so the new grade laws became
effective as of December 16, 2014, and producer compliance was required as of
January 1, 2016.[59]
Golden and Amber grades typically have a milder flavour
than Dark and Very dark, which are both dark and have an intense maple flavour.[60] The darker grades of syrup are
used primarily for cooking and baking, although some specialty dark syrups are
produced for table use.[61] Syrup harvested earlier in the
season tends to yield a lighter colour.[62] With the new grading system,
the classification of maple syrup depends ultimately on its translucence. Golden has to be more than 75
percent translucent, Amber has to be 50.0 to 74.9 percent translucent, Dark has
to be 25.0 to 49.9 percent translucent, and Very Dark is any product less than
25.0 percent translucent.
Old
grading system
In Canada, maple syrup was classified prior to December
31, 2014, by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as one of three grades,
each with several colour classes: Canada No. 1, including Extra Light, Light,
and Medium; No. 2 Amber; and No. 3 Dark or any other ungraded category.
Producers in Ontario or Québec may have followed either federal or provincial
grading guidelines. Québec's and Ontario's guidelines differed slightly from
the federal: there were two "number" categories in Québec (Number 1,
with four colour classes, and 2, with five colour classes).[63] As in Québec, Ontario's
producers had two "number" grades: 1, with three colour classes; and
2, with one colour class, which was typically referred to as "Ontario
Amber" when produced and sold in that province only.[64] A typical year's yield for a
maple syrup producer will be about 25 to 30 percent of each of the #1 colours,
10 percent #2 Amber, and 2 percent #3 Dark.[30]
The United States used (some states still do, as they
await state regulation) different grading standards. Maple syrup was divided
into two major grades: Grade A and Grade B. Grade A was further divided into
three subgrades: Light Amber (sometimes known as Fancy), Medium Amber, and Dark
Amber. The Vermont
Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets used a similar grading
system of colour, and is roughly equivalent, especially for lighter syrups, but
using letters: "AA", "A", etc.[65][66] The Vermont grading system
differed from the US system in maintaining a slightly higher standard of
product density (measured on the Baumé scale). New Hampshire maintained a
similar standard, but not a separate state grading scale. The Vermont-graded
product had 0.9 percent more sugar and less water in its composition than
US-graded. One grade of syrup not for table use, called commercial or Grade C,
was also produced under the Vermont system.
Nutrition and food
characteristics
In a 100g amount, maple syrup provides 260 calories and is composed of 32% water by
weight, 67% carbohydrates (90%
of which are sugars), and no appreciable protein or fat (table). Maple syrup is
generally low in overall micronutrient content, although manganese and riboflavin are at high levels along with
moderate amounts of zinc and calcium (right table). It also contains
trace amounts of amino acids which
increase in content as sap flow occurs.[68]
Maple syrup contains a wide variety of volatile organic
compounds, including vanillin, hydroxybutanone, and propionaldehyde. It is not yet known exactly
what compounds are responsible for maple syrup's distinctive flavour,[31] however its primary flavour
contributing compounds are maple furanone, strawberry furanone, and maltol.[69]
New compounds have been identified in maple syrup, one
of which is quebecol, a natural phenolic compound created when
the maple sap is boiled to create syrup.[70]
One author described maple syrup as "a unique
ingredient, smooth- and silky-textured, with a sweet, distinctive flavour –
hints of caramel with overtones of toffee will not do – and a rare colour,
amber set alight. Maple flavour is, well, maple flavour, uniquely different
from any other."[43] Agriculture Canada has
developed a "flavour wheel" that details 91 unique flavours that can
be present in maple syrup. These flavours are divided into 13 families:
vanilla, empyreumatic (burnt), milky, fruity, floral, spicy, foreign
deterioration or environment, maple, confectionery, plants
forest-humus-cereals, herbaceous, or ligneous.[71] These flavours are evaluated
using a procedure similar to wine tasting.[72] Other culinary experts praise
its unique flavour.
Maple syrup and its various artificial imitations are
widely used as toppings for pancakes, waffles, and French toast in North America. They can
also be used to flavour a variety of foods, including fritters, ice cream, hot cereal, fresh fruit,
and sausages. It is also used as sweetener for granola, applesauce, baked beans, candied sweet potatoes, winter squash, cakes, pies, breads, tea, coffee,
and hot toddies. Maple syrup can also be used as a
replacement for honey in wine (mead).[77]
Imitations and
substitutions
In Canada, maple syrup must be made entirely from maple
sap, and syrup must have a density of 66° on the Brix scale
to be marketed as maple syrup.[30] In the United States, maple
syrup must be made almost entirely from maple sap, although small amounts of
substances such as salt may be added.[78] Labelling laws prohibit
imitation syrups from having "maple" in their names.[79] "Maple-flavoured"
syrups include maple syrup but may contain additional ingredients.[80]"Pancake syrup",
"waffle syrup", "table syrup", and similarly named syrups
are substitutes which are less expensive than maple syrup. In these syrups, the
primary ingredient is most often high fructose corn
syrup flavoured with sotolon; they have no genuine maple content,
and are usually thickened far beyond the viscosity of maple syrup.[81]
Imitation syrups are generally cheaper than maple
syrup, but tend to taste artificial. A 2009 Cook's Illustrated comparison
between top-selling maple and imitation syrups consistently rated the real
maple brands (Maple Grove Farms, Highland Sugarworks, Camp Maple, Spring Tree,
and Maple Gold) above the imitation brands tested (Eggo, Aunt Jemima, Mrs. Butterworth's,
Log Cabin, and Hungry Jack).[82] In the United States,
consumers generally prefer imitation syrups, likely because of the
significantly lower cost. The fenugreek seed, a spice with high amounts
of sotolon, can be prepared to have a maple-like flavour, and is used to make a
very strong commercial flavouring that is similar to maple syrup, but much less
expensive; one such syrup, Mapleine, was popular
during the Great Depression.
Cultural significance
Maple syrup and maple sugar were used during the
American Civil War and by abolitionists in
the years prior to the war because most cane sugar and molasses were produced by Southern slaves.Because
of food rationing during the Second World War, people in the northeastern
United States were encouraged to stretch their sugar rations by sweetening
foods with maple syrup and maple sugar, and recipe books were printed to
help housewives employ this alternative source.
Maple products are considered emblematic of Canada, in
particular Quebec, and are frequently sold in tourist shops and airports as
souvenirs from Canada. The sugar maple's leaf has come to symbolize Canada, and
is depicted on the country's flag. Several
US states, including New York, Vermont and Wisconsin, have the sugar maple as
their state tree.[90] A scene of sap collection is
depicted on the Vermont state quarter, issued in 2001.
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