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Maple tree sap11/7/2023 ![]() The other is based on sensory appreciation by trained inspectors. One is based on physical properties such as light transmittance and soluble solids content (☋rix). ![]() The current system of bulk syrup classification is based on two distinctive parameters. Trace off-flavors are the most common problem, but other defects can depreciate the products and render them unsaleable, leading to significant economic losses for the producers and an increasing storage burden for the industry. However, the variation of maple syrup quality has remained a constant concern, as on average 25% of the bulk production does not meet the standard quality 14, 15. The production of maple syrup has doubled over the last two decades, reaching 207 million pounds in 2016 14. Maple sap composition is a critical factor for syrup quality since it is concentrated 35 to 40 fold during the production process. Although maple sap composition has been investigated 5, its complexity and variation is such that many compounds that can contribute to its properties are still unidentified 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Previous studies focusing on maple sap and syrup properties have mainly considered the cumulative percentage of sap flow or syrup color grade, corresponding to its light transmittance, as a reference to monitor variation 5, 8. ![]() Most maple syrup characteristics such as color, dominant flavors, pH and chemical composition vary over the production period 5, 6, 7. The sap is collected through networks of plastic tubing connected to hundreds of trees under a high vacuum and stored in a non-aseptic environment, where microbial activity can alter its composition 1, 2, 3, 4. The sap composition is the product of a complex system involving tree metabolism and subsequent microbial activity during the collection and transformation process, which includes storage and membrane processing, such as reverse osmosis, prior to boiling. ![]() Maple syrup is a natural sweetener obtained from the concentration of sap collected in the spring from sugar maple trees ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) and related species ( Acer rubrum, Acer nigrum). This untargeted approach revealed that the organic sulfur content may be responsible for the development of the buddy off-flavor, and that dormancy release is necessary for the appearance of the defect, but other factors such as microbial activity may also be contributing. Second, we identified biological processes that respond to variation in maple sap by performing a competition assay using the barcoded Saccharomyces cerevisiae prototroph deletion collection. We observed a shift in amino acid relative proportions associated with dormancy release and found that most of them increase rapidly near the point of bud break, correlating with changes in syrup quality. First, we looked at variation in amino acid content during this period. To investigate sap variation related to bud break and the buddy defect, we monitored sap variation with respect to a dormancy release index (S bb) and syrup quality. This off-flavor appears around the time of bud break, hence its name. In particular, a defect known as “buddy”, is an increasing concern for the industry. Therefore, understanding the variation in sap composition associated with dormancy release could help pinpoint the causes of some defects in maple syrup. This variability could in part be attributed to changes in tree metabolism following dormancy release, but little is known about these changes in deciduous trees. The characteristics of sap change over the production period and its composition directly impacts syrup quality. Maple sap is a complex nutrient matrix collected during spring to produce maple syrup.
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