New grading standards

[larry.lisa]

Can someone explain the new US grading standards.
I had a sample tested with a spectraphotometer from sryup that I had bottled and it was 56.
I did some looking on the internet and found that canadian standards are: 75+ is #1 extra light, 60.5-74.9 is #1 light, 44-60.4 is #1 medium, 27-43.9 is #2 amber and below 27 is #3 dark.
Are US grading standards differant?

[Moser's Maple]

here's a comparison chart

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Those Canadian standards a are outdated

[Moser's Maple]

my charts wrong doug?
better find me a new one to post then

[wiam]

my charts wrong doug?
better find me a new one to post then

Not your chart Jake. The OP Canadian standards.

[DrTimPerkins]

Can someone explain the new US grading standards.
I had a sample tested with a spectraphotometer from sryup that I had bottled and it was 56.
I did some looking on the internet and found that canadian standards are: 75+ is #1 extra light, 60.5-74.9 is #1 light, 44-60.4 is #1 medium, 27-43.9 is #2 amber and below 27 is #3 dark. Are US grading standards differant?

Hi Larry,

I got your email message, but it bounced back as undeliverable, so I looked up this thread and will respond here.

Syrup at 56% Light Transmission (assuming the spectrophotometer was calibrated and used properly) would be Grade A - Medium Amber under the old standards and Grade A - Amber/Rich under the new standards.

The transmission standards you cite from the internet are the OLD standards. The new standards are basically in 25% transmission increments.

The new standards were developed by the IMSI in cooperation with producer associations throughout the U.S. and Canada. They've been accepted into regulations in some states, and by the Federal governments of the U.S. and Canada.

The NEW standards can be found at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3011897 Please note that these U.S.D.A. standards are VOLUNTARY, and may be superseded by regulations in your state or province. However if you do grade syrup (grading is not required in all places), you must use these standards (or your prevailing state/provincial standards).....in other words, you can't use the old grades or simply make up your own. You may either not grade (if allowed in your jurisdiction), or grade to the U.S.D.A. or State/Provincial standards in your area. In some places the regulations still follow the old grading standards because they haven't yet been updated, but several states that have maple laws have already changed to the new standards. We are currently in a transition period with some places having adopted the new standards, while others have not.

The OLD standards can be found at: http://maple.dnr.cornell.edu/pubs/UsdaGrades.pdf

Information about the development and status of grades can be found at: http://www.internationalmaplesyrupinstitute.com/ or by contacting your state/provincial agricultural authorities.

If you are selling syrup to a packer, most likely they will want to purchase under the NEW standards if they are engaged in interstate commerce.

[ldick]

What is the most cost effective method for scientifically determining light transmission? The spectraphotometers i have found are all quite expensive for a small operation.

[DrTimPerkins]

What is the most cost effective method for scientifically determining light transmission? The spectraphotometers i have found are all quite expensive for a small operation.

Most of the choices are not inexpensive. The Hannah meter is probably the cheapest, but I don't think it's been updated for the new grades. A real spec is very expensive. Like any instrument, a spec is subject to measurement errors, nearly all of which produce a lower reading (due to fingerprints or bubbles usually) than the true light transmission. Therefore spec measurements almost always favor the buyer rather than the seller. This is why most people use a simple visual comparator (grading kit).