sap goodness

[bluegoose]

I have a small amount of sap that was not boiled and has been outside where temp has reached 50+. I was out of town and not able to boil the sap and was
wondering if it was worth boiling the sap down to syrup. Does sap go bad?

[briansickler]

Sap spoils similarly to the way milk does. If not kept cold, the bacteria multiplies rapidly. It's probably junk. Sap will keep for a few days if temp kept below 40 degrees. The fresher it is when you boil the better.

[brookledge]

As Brian said yes it will spoil but you did not say how long the sap has been sitting around. Once it becomes milky looking and snotty(ropey) then it is no good. If it is just cloudy and smells ok then boil it
Keith

[bluegoose]

It sat outside for 2 weeks. It is clear and no odor or taste, so I will assume
that it is OK to boil. Another question I have, is it possible to freeze the sap and boil at a later date when I have the time?

[DrTimPerkins]

... is it possible to freeze the sap and boil at a later date when I have the time?

Sure. That would work just fine.

[BryanEx]

Cloudiness is associated with spoilage but is it possible for sap to spoil yet still be relatively clear? Second part of my question is if bacteria counts will be consistent within an undisturbed storage tank? Is sap quality any better at the top or bottom of a large tank left sitting or would it have a consistent count throughout the sample?

Dr Tim Perkins, like many others here I certainly appreciate your participation as it helps so much to sort out what is analytical versus antidotal maple knowledge not to mention your sharing leading edge information on maple health and prosperity.

[DrTimPerkins]

Cloudiness is associated with spoilage but is it possible for sap to spoil yet still be relatively clear? Second part of my question is if bacteria counts will be consistent within an undisturbed storage tank? Is sap quality any better at the top or bottom of a large tank left sitting or would it have a consistent count throughout the sample?


Possible? Yes, but that condition would be rather atypical. Most microorganisms will leave some trace behind, typically in biomass (particulates that cause sap turbidity). However if you took a tank of sap that was very cloudy (from microorganims) and ran it through a good filter system, especially if you filtered in combination with UV light, the turbidity will be much less. So the degree of cloudiness is not always a good indicator of microbial activity. Invert sugar level is though.

Not sure entirely what the nature of your second question is. If it is, can there be stratification of bacteria in the sap tank.....then the answer is, oftentimes yes. If a tank sits around for a while undisturbed, many of the microorganisms will settle to the bottom or along tank walls (where they can adhere).

Thank you for the kind comment. I enjoy interacting with maple producers.