Interesting findings from Consumer Reports and Johns Hopkins

[NW Ohio]

Not sure if someone may have already mentioned this someplace, but here's an article from the May 2014 issue of Consumer Reports, http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/03/caramel-coloring-in-pancake-syrup/index.htm.

Very low risk, but I still found it interesting.

[n8hutch]

That's very interesting. Makes you really think about other food additives. Another reason the wife can be happy I converted her to A Real Maple Syrup believer

[happy thoughts]

Anyone with a website for maple sales should link to that study and have a framed hard copy of it sitting on your sales floor or farm market table.

[mike z]

The Following User Says Thank You to NW Ohio For This Helpful Post:

mike z

[SeanD]

Thanks for sharing this. How come the 100% pure maple syrup control had trace amounts of the caramel coloring?

Sean

[DrTimPerkins]

How come the 100% pure maple syrup control had trace amounts of the caramel coloring?

Caramel color develops naturally during the heat degradation of sugars, especially invert sugars (glucose and fructose). Caramel color is basically burnt sugar. First the large, highly structured sugar molecules shrink due to heating, and then polymerize to form large (often amorphous) color bodies. Depending upon the process this can result in a brownish liquid to a black char. Same sort of thing happens in coffee roasting, baking, cooking meat on the grill (or broiler) and in other foods. Typically unless the temperature is excessive, caramelization isn't extreme.

Next time you are unlucky enough to burn your pans you can just tell everyone you were "making caramel."

[SeanD]

So, the 4-MeI is a natural ingredient and the table syrups just add a lot of it? Its name makes it sound synthetic.

Sean

[DrTimPerkins]

So, the 4-MeI is a natural ingredient and the table syrups just add a lot of it? Its name makes it sound synthetic.

4-Mel can be produced as part of the normal browning process, or can be artificially synthesized.

The term "natural" has not yet been defined by the US FDA.

[mountainvan]

I would not spread this article because it "MAY" cause people to become even more paranoid. Anything that may cause something may not cause something also. Just like some maple syrup may be the the purist in the world. I may be the greatest fisherman in the Catskills. Bigfoot may really be the missing link, and he may have taken Elvis to be his forest bride. Just my two cents.

[Cabin]

I would not spread this article because it "MAY" cause people to become even more paranoid. Anything that may cause something may not cause something also. Just like some maple syrup may be the the purist in the world. I may be the greatest fisherman in the Catskills. Bigfoot may really be the missing link, and he may have taken Elvis to be his forest bride. Just my two cents.

Is there such a thing as 'more paranoid'?? :-)

[NW Ohio]

So wait a second. Should I spread the article or not. It may cause paranoia, but then because it may, it may not? You convince me I may be become more paranoid... or maybe not... then Cabin questions whether there is such a thing!?

Are you guys talking "in code" or something?

[SeanD]

I would not spread this article because it "MAY" cause people to become even more paranoid. Anything that may cause something may not cause something also. Just like some maple syrup may be the the purist in the world. I may be the greatest fisherman in the Catskills. Bigfoot may really be the missing link, and he may have taken Elvis to be his forest bride. Just my two cents.

Wait. Priscilla Presly is really Bigfoot? Mind officially blown.

[spud]

Where can I buy some Big foot scent. I am spraying my whole body with it and then heading to the woods.:lol:

Spud

[NW Ohio]

Where can I buy some Big foot scent. I am spraying my whole body with it and then heading to the woods.:lol:

Spud

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=priscilla+presley+perfume&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=1471144668&ref=pd_sl_8sm30m8vdq_ee

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you...........

[spud]

NW Ohio that is too funny. After applying this lotion do I need to make any certain sounds while waiting in the woods.:)

Spud

[NW Ohio]

Spud, I am no expert at these things, but, probably just blare this over a speaker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF9rgnD693Y, or maybe this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKtKbROMp-A (repeating loop of both might even work).

All others, sorry that this thread went all wrong. I really did think the findings were interesting.

[Ittiz]

These studies are usually way over hyped. I'd have to look at the potential pathways (which I haven't) by which this thing is supposed to cause cancer. Is the chemical itself a carcinogen? If it's one of the break down products of it that's the actual carcinogen then using a mouse model is most likely inaccurate. Either too high or too low.


An excellent example of this is the main flavor in root beer (Safrole). It was banned by the FDA almost 50 years ago because it was shown to cause cancer in mice and rats. Come to find out it's the break down product of safrole that causes cancer and guess what? Humans don't make that break down product and with all the years that people did drink safrole containing root beer not one cancer case was linked to it. The chemical is still banned though, if you want root beer that actually tastes like root beer you have to go into the woods and dig up you're own Sassafras roots.

The European Union has moved to ban other safrole like chemicals like eugenol (cloves flavor) because they produce related carcinogenic break downs in rats and mice. Again proven not to in humans, "but better safe than sorry" I guess is what they're thinking. It's almost like restricting the size of tic-tacs to no larger than a BB because regular sized tic-tacs caused mice to choke and die. The tic-tac wasn't the problem it was the animal they tested it on! This may seem like and exaggeration, but when we're talking about liver breakdown products (created by the enzymes in their livers) the differences between mice and men can be even larger than that. The other scarier side of this coin is that something could be deemed completely safe using the mouse model, but kill people.

The sad part is you need a degree (mine is in molecular biology) to read these studies and realize when they are talking through their aft end. They either need a different test animal or a better mouse.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

is there such a thing as 'more paranoid'?? :-)

yeppppppppppp!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

NW Ohio that is too funny. After applying this lotion do I need to make any certain sounds while waiting in the woods.:)

Spud

Head to Hubbardton, Randy can show you where to go and hoot in the woods:lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ouEjLPMV4

[maplestudent]

Bigfoot may really be the missing link, and he may have taken Elvis to be his forest bride. Just my two cents.

When did this happen? I thought the Loch Ness monster picked up Elvis and Bigfoot in the UFO.

[maplerookie]

Caramel color develops naturally during the heat degradation of sugars, especially invert sugars (glucose and fructose). Caramel color is basically burnt sugar. First the large, highly structured sugar molecules shrink due to heating, and then polymerize to form large (often amorphous) color bodies. Depending upon the process this can result in a brownish liquid to a black char. Same sort of thing happens in coffee roasting, baking, cooking meat on the grill (or broiler) and in other foods. Typically unless the temperature is excessive, caramelization isn't extreme.

Next time you are unlucky enough to burn your pans you can just tell everyone you were "making caramel." You are a funny guy Dr. Tim...lol

[southfork]

Just another reason why all producers must strive to produce the very best product they are capable of, and, you never know what the next study will be.