UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 466 . 



SJalCr^AaS** Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry ^SXf^ > %&l£r' 



J&f'&jfl. CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief ^S^VT-ffc. 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



November 3, 1917 



MAPLE SUGAR: COMPOSITION, METHODS OF 

 ANALYSIS, EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT. 



By A. Hugh Bryan, formerly Chief, Sugar Laboratory, in collaboration with M. N. 

 Straugn, C. G. Church, A. Given, and S. F. Sherwood, Assistant Chemists. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Definitions 1 



Sampling 3 



Methods of analysis 3 



Results of analysis 12 



Discussion of results 27 



Canadian maple sugars • 35 



Effect of environment on the composition of 



maple sugar 36 



Changes in composition and color from sap 



sirup to sugar sirup 38 



Moisture in maple sugar 39 



Maple cream, honey, and wax 41 



Conclusions 42 



INTRODUCTION. 



A previous publication 1 of the Bureau of Chemistry dealing with 



the manufacture of maple-sap sirup gives the distinguishing features 



of sap sirup and sugar sirup, as well as the results of the chemical 



examination of 481 samples of sap sirups. The present bulletin deals 



with the methods of analysis and the composition of maple sugars 



examined in the former Sugar Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry 



in connection with the previous report and of samples collected during 



the seasons 1910, 1911, and 1912. It is believed that this report may 



be useful to food chemists who are called upon to examine maple 



products. 



DEFINITIONS. 



As maple sirup is the sap of the live maple tree concentrated to a 

 standard density, with or without the addition of the usual clarifying 

 agents, maple sugar is the solid product resulting from the further 

 concentration of the sirup or of the sap, with or without the addition of 

 clarifiers, and without the loss of any of its constituents other than 



61390°— Bull. 466—17- 



iTJ. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Chem. Bui. 134. 

 -1 



