At 10:11 AM 2/25/2011, you wrote:
Thanks for this wonderful discussion on maple syrup.
As a retired flavor chemist, I thought I'd comment on maple syrup
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_syrup). One of my areas of
interest is the Maillard reaction
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction), which usually
occurs during fermentation or long, slow heating. The flavors can be
generated by sugars or proteins alone, but most often in combination.
While reverse osmosis is an improved method for saving time and fuel,
by itself it will not generate the true maple flavor. This is
generated by the Maillard reaction of certain proteins with other sap
components serving as catalysts during heating.
Imitation maple syrup is often made with synthetic sotolon
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotolon), which is found naturally in
fenugreek and lovage. The main maple flavoring agent is an analog
with a methyl replaced by an ethyl group (Abhexone is the current
commercial name). In addition, other analogs and Maillard
compoundsare present.
The difference in grades of maple syrup and in other plant syrups,
such as birch and hickory (yes, there is a source of hickory syrup in
Indiana), is in the variations in protein, sugar, and mineral
components as well as the concentration techniques Sotolon was
probably named because it was found in sotol
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotol), a distilled spirit made from
Dasylirion wheeleri
Richard F. Dufresne
2119 US 220 Alternate South
Candor, North Carolina 27229 USA
910-974-4009
Alternate e-mail: [email protected]
World of Salvias:
<http://www.eclectasy.com/gallery_of_salvias/index.htm>http://www.worldofsalvias.com/
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