maple cream on the store shelf??

[mrnorthshore]

Can anyone tell me how maple cream can be stored on a store shelf? I was at a whole foods coop yesterday and saw that they had some maple cream on the shelf and not in the refridgerator, it was in glass jars and it looked sealed. Can anyone tell me how they seal the jars on maple cream? do they heat up the jars and cream in hot water after they are filled or will this mess up ( make large crystals) in the maple cream. Thanks, paul

[Dave Y]

Maple cream does not have to be refrigerated until opened. Typical cream container lids have a seal paper in it that will seal. Cream will not crystalize if made correctly. the colder you take your syrup before you stir it the longer the shelf life will be. storing it in a refrigerator will also extend the shelf life

[wiam]

I have had cream get mold on it when stored on the shelf. I store mine in fridge or freezer.

[mrnorthshore]

Hi Dave, these jars that i saw were glass and had metal lids and were sealed. The jars that I was looking at useing are glass and with a metal lid also, just want to know if there is any way to seal the jars without messing up the maple cream? can the jars be reheated after being filled or will this melt the maple cream or change it? Any ideas would be great. thanks

[Dave Y]

Unless it is moving fast i would not store cream in an unrefrigerated display. It can be displayed unrefrigerated for short periods. While glass looks nice I dont know how you would seal the lid with out heating and i would not recomend doing that.

[mrnorthshore]

thanks Dave, looks like I will just use plastic.

[Specklefield Farm]

Cream we did in 8 oz. canning jars sells itself during maple season. BUT, the one I didn't take out of the sugarhouse separated and you can see a liquid (heavy syrup layer) between the two layers of cream. The rest that we stored in the fridge are all still good looking. My kids have no problem stirring it up and putting it on whatever they're eating, but I wouldn't want to put it out there with my name on it for sale in glass or plastic. Just my opinion.