Jed's Maple > Maple Syrup FAQ (2024)

FAQs

Does maple syrup go bad if not refrigerated? ›

When unopened, you can store hot-packed pure maple syrup for at least a year (or more) in the pantry at room temperature. Once opened, does maple syrup need to be refrigerated if it's the pure variety? Yes, because it's a natural product with no preservatives and can spoil or grow mold.

Maple syrup can last near forever if it is stored properly. If the maple container is sealed and unopened, keep it stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. A pantry or cabinet is a good option. It's best stored in glass, then plastic, and finally in lined tin.

Maple Syrup unopened will keep for a long time. Glass keeps the best; we have a bottle over 50 years old on our shelf that is still good. Plastic we normally recommend not keeping for more than 18 months to 2 years and tin should be stored no longer than 6 months.

The Jones “Rule of 86” was devised in 1946 by C.H. Jones, a scientist and educator at the University of Vermont. The gist of the rule is that ifone divides 86 by the sugar content of sap, you can estimate the amount of sap required to produce a gallon of syrup.

First examine your maple syrup for signs of mold. Another sign that the maple syrup has gone bad is it might not smell right. If the maple syrup has any kind of sour odor, or smells like fermentation then discard it. Maple syrup should smell sweet, like caramel.

What can I do if my syrup has a moldy film on it? The most common reason mold starts to grow on pure maple syrup is because it hasn't been properly refrigerated after opening. It's best to discard your maple syrup if mold is found.

In this situation, a great solution is to separate your syrup into smaller containers and freeze some of them. Maple syrup can be stored in the freezer indefinitely. Fun fact: Maple syrup freezes in a slushy consistency because of the sugars in it.

Maple syrup gives you carbohydrates in the form of sugars without fiber. As a result, maple syrup can cause swings in blood sugar and insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar in our blood to cells that convert it to energy. People with diabetes may have bad side effects from the sugar in maple syrup.

Pure maple syrup does have a shelf life. According to the USDA, it is safe to keep pure maple syrup unopened in the pantry for a year, opened in the refrigerator for a year and for years when kept in the freezer.

A fungus that can grow in maple syrup is not your average everyday mold, it's a xerophile. Xerophiles grow in places that are too dry and hostile for your average fungus. OK, maple syrup is wet, but it's also extremely high in sugar.

Does 100% pure maple syrup spoil? ›

Maple syrup can go bad, though this only tends to occur after the bottle has been opened. A sealed bottle of pure maple syrup, stored properly in an airtight glass container, will last several years, while an opened bottle can stay in the fridge for between six months and a year.

Simply put, reverse osmosis (RO) is the separation of water from minerals, larger molecules, and foreign contaminants that are too large to pass through a membrane.

Another reason maple grading was changed was that consumers perceived or assumed that grade B was an inferior quality syrup. In turn, many would seek out grade A dark when there was no such thing. Or they would expect a lower price point for grade B dark. In actuality, grade B is equal in quality to grade A.

Consuming maple syrup in limited quantities can help maintain an individual's heart health. It provides proper muscle function, maintains fluid balance, and may help control blood pressure. However, one should not consume syrup in extreme quantities as it still contains sugar and can impact blood sugar levels.

Maple syrup may get moldy if left out of the refrigerator for a long time. One cool thing about maple syrup is that the sugar content is so high that mold generally doesn't grow inside the syrup; it's only on the top surface.

If it smells strange, it's most likely gone bad. An off flavor in maple syrup can come in many forms, too. Folks have described a cardboard flavor, a Tootsie Roll flavor, a sour flavor, or even a salty flavor. Again, if it tastes like anything besides delicious maple syrup, it's probably not fresh anymore.

It's best to keep your simple syrup in the fridge in an airtight container, since leaving it out at room temperature can cause it to spoil in as little as one week, warns Kitchen Sanity.

But once the syrup's been opened, spores in the air can cause mold to form on the surface, which is why producers recommend refrigeration.