- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt,
maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.
Grade A pure maple syrup must meet standards
in four key areas, color, clarity, density, and flavor.
A recent survey from University of Vermont Extension
asked over 200 sugar makers
about issues related to grading syrup.
The surveyed sugar makers ranged in experience
from one to 65 years,
and combined to have
over 4,000 years of experience making syrup.
Together, those surveyed
produce about 17% of all the syrup in Vermont.
28% of respondents identified syrup color
as the most a challenging part of grading.
Possible issues of syrup not meeting grade standards
include syrup darkening over time,
especially in retail containers,
using an outdated grade kit,
and syrup darkening while being heated and packaged
in the low end of the range for the grade.
Research suggests that syrup packaged
in uncoated plastic retail jugs
darkens at approximately 2.6% light transmittance per month,
a rate three times that of jugs with coated oxygen barriers.
Syrup darkens at a much slower rate in stainless barrels.
This is Marcus Isselhardt,
maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension,
and this has been another Vermont Maple Minute.