Sinister Question,,,Adding white sugar to raw sap?

[TerryEspo]

Not my idea, lol.

Speaking to a guy I know, telling him some people do buy raw sap. He has the potential to tap approx. 10 acres.
In our conversation I told him sap Buyers measure sugar content and pay accordingly for fresh sap.

He asks me, what stops a person who is selling raw sap from adding some white sugar from the grocery store to raise sugar content if its low !!!

I was stumped, told him no idea what would happen once boiled, or if even the sap Buyer could tell.

Anyone have input on what would happen, would it still be syrup once done? Can a sap Buyer tell if they are dealing with a cheat?

Love to hear what people have to say.

Thank-you.

P.S., Still waiting for sap to run here in Northern Ontario.

[Cabin]

Not my idea, lol.

Speaking to a guy I know, telling him some people do buy raw sap. He has the potential to tap approx. 10 acres.
In our conversation I told him sap Buyers measure sugar content and pay accordingly for fresh sap.

He asks me, what stops a person who is selling raw sap from adding some white sugar from the grocery store to raise sugar content if its low !!!

I was stumped, told him no idea what would happen once boiled, or if even the sap Buyer could tell.

Anyone have input on what would happen, would it still be syrup once done? Can a sap Buyer tell if they are dealing with a cheat?

Love to hear what people have to say.

Thank-you.

P.S., Still waiting for sap to run here in Northern Ontario. I wonder if the cost of white sugar would justify the price difference of raw sap.

[Clarkfield Farms]

My only useful reply is this: Do the math; given the cost of sugar and the amount he would have to add to raise the sap %, he'd be losing money. Lots of it, given what sap wholesales for.

Unless I didn't do the math right?

Anyways...

[Clarkfield Farms]

OOOPS! Crossed posts, Cabin! :cool:

[psparr]

I live in Lancaster County PA. Amish country. Dairy farmers get paid by weight for their milk. Also their milk fat has to be a certain percentage. If the milk fat was high enough, they'd add water to get more weight and still have their fat content.

[happy thoughts]

Anyone have input on what would happen, would it still be syrup once done? Can a sap Buyer tell if they are dealing with a cheat?
.

Sure it would be syrup It just wouldn't be maple syrup. Adulteration can be confirmed by lab testing. Sap that's consistently higher than other producers might make the buyer suspicious enough to submit it for testing. People have been caught for messing with maple and have been fined or are serving jail time.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I live in Lancaster County PA. Amish country. Dairy farmers get paid by weight for their milk. Also their milk fat has to be a certain percentage. If the milk fat was high enough, they'd add water to get more weight and still have their fat content.

All milk is routinely tested for added water. The freezing point is checked and adding water will change this point. If you add water and are caught (a near certainty) you will lose your license to market milk!

[psparr]

Should have mentioned this was an old practice.

[wiam]

That would be adulterated syrup here in VT. Stiff fines and penalties. Our dept of Ag goes after that hard.