Eliminating plastic smell and taste

[Atgreene]

We flush ours each spring before tapping with clean water. It makes us feel good, and the broken fittings and squirrel holes are easier to find. Some years we haven't washed, but its nice to see clean sap on that first run rather than crud from the line. Thanks for the info Dr.

[DrTimPerkins]

Does the heat simply break it down so that it's no longer aromatic, or does it actually boil away into the air?

To my recollection (it was some time ago that we did this work), we compared plastic compounds in sap and syrup made with and without plastic materials. In general, most everything we consume has some amount of residues from food manufacturing or storage containers, and syrup is no different, however the material and levels were not concerning. Whether you collect with plastic tubing (or bags or buckets) or with metal buckets, you can detect something in the product.

[Starting Small]

No, the plastic odor and taste is in the sap, but does not make it through to the syrup.

I posted this on another thread but when I saw this I am second guessing myself. I used a garden hose (I know, not a smart move) to pump 200 gallons of sap this weekend because I needed the extra length because I could not get my truck down to where the tank was because of the snow. Now I have sweet in the pans that tastes bad like plastic. I was going to dump it assuming it picked up the taste from the garden hose. Dr. Tim, are you saying that I should finish it and the syrup would not have a plastic taste? It seems to have more of this taste as it concentrates. Just want to make sure before I dump it. Thanks,
-Dave

[DrTimPerkins]

I used a garden hose (I know, not a smart move) to pump 200 gallons of sap this weekend because I needed the extra length because I could not get my truck down to where the tank was because of the snow. Now I have sweet in the pans that tastes bad like plastic.

Dump it. This is a different thing altogether. Garden hose contains regrind material and extra plasticizers and often has elevated levels of heavy metals and is NOT food grade. Maple tubing is made from virgin (meaning never before used) polyethylene, and is food grade. Tough lesson, but you won't do it again.

[Big Stoney]

What should you use for line to pump out your storage tanks?

[DrTimPerkins]

What should you use for line to pump out your storage tanks?

You can use maple mainline, potable water pipe, milk-hose, or any other water-potable or food-grade hose. They also do make a drinking water type "garden hose"....typically it is white and labeled for use with drinking water.

[TrentonMaple]

You can get potable water "garden hose" at most big-box home stores. I got mine at lowes. It's white and definitely different material than garden hose. Doens't have that awful hose smell/taste either. People use it for RVs to move potable water.