Date of Award
Spring 5-3-2024
Level of Access Assigned by Author
Open-Access Thesis
Language
English
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Advisor
Beth Calder
Second Committee Member
L. Brian Perkins
Third Committee Member
Seanna Annis
Abstract
Birch syrup has gained popularity in the market due to its distinctive flavor, natural origin, potential health benefits, and culinary versatility with a wide range of applications. Birch syrup has been attracting attention recently because it has been presented as a unique alternative to one of the most used sweeteners, maple syrup. Apart from the similar production process and artisanal appeal, both syrups have important distinctions such as flavor, chemical composition, and other characteristics that make them unique. Because of its high consumption and economic impact, maple syrup has been extensively studied to check various factors and aspects such as chemical composition, physical properties, production processes, quality, safety, health benefits, and more. These studies have helped the FDA to establish standards to guarantee the integrity and safety of maple syrup in the market. On the other hand, birch syrup presents regulatory challenges since less research has been conducted on this syrup to establish safe processing methods and Brix level standards to ensure the safety of this product. Therefore, the chemical composition, physical properties, and safety characteristics of birch syrup were investigated and compared to those of maple syrup. Eight batches of blended, heated, and filtered birch and maple syrup samples were collected by the same producer in Temple, ME. Both syrups were analyzed for chemical and nutritive properties (sugars, organic acids, pH, phenolic compounds, minerals), physical properties and quality characteristics (Brix and water activity levels), and microbial load (total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold, and fungal inoculation studies). The birch syrup Brix levels (62.2-63.6 degrees Brix) were significantly lower (pEurotium sp(Aspergillus representing the asexual stage), Penicillium brevicompactum, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa when the contamination level was 100 spores in 500 μl for both syrups. Future work could further investigate seasonal variations, producer geography, soil differences, and climate changes to determine if these variables can affect the Brix, pH, water activity levels, sugar, and mineral concentrations in other birch syrup samples. With more data, regulatory agencies can move forward to determine how to best assess an adequate Brix level range and processing parameters to begin creating regulatory definitions to best regulate the growing birch syrup industry.
Recommended Citation
Diarra, Djeneba, "Chemical Composition, Food Safety and Quality Characteristics of Birch Syrup in Comparison to Maple Syrup" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3963.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/etd/3963