Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is an inherited metabolic disorder that, if untreated, causes mental retardation, physical disabilities and death. First described as a disease in 1954, it is a rare disorder, believed to be in all ethnic groups worldwide. The national incidence is 1 in 225,000 births. MSUD derives its name from the sweet, burnt sugar, or maple syrup smell of the urine. The disorder affects the way the body metabolizes (processes) certain components of protein.

Maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree. After collecting the sap, it is boiled until it's thick and syrupy. Maple syrup is graded according to color and flavor. Generally, US grades are: Fancy or Grade AA, a light amber colored syrup with a mild flavor; Grade A is medium amber and mellow-flavored; Grade B is dark amber and hearty flavored; and Grade C is very dark with a robust, molasses-like flavor.

The overwhelming majority of maple syrup is produced in forests where no herbicides or pesticides have been applied. Therefore, most maple syrup would be considered organic. The requirements are stated by the particular organic certification organization, but generally state no use of substances (for example, fertilizers or pesticides) in the production process that would alter the pure nature of maple syrup.

Yes, most states have county, regional, and state associations. Contact your local Cooperative Extension office if you do not know the local contact.

Maple syrup is produced only in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, the region in which sugar maple is found. Although maple syrup is not produced in other regions of the world, some other species of maple are tapped. For example, in Korea, people tap a maple species called Acer mono and pipe the sap from the mountains down to the village. They drink the sap but do not boil it to produce syrup.

Retail maple products are not generally labeled but range from 66-67% sugar content for syrup to nearly 100% sugar content for candy. None of the calories come from fat. Syrup: serving size = 4 Tablespoons (60 ml). Calories: 200; total fat 0 g, sodium 7 mg, total carbohydrates 53 g, protein 0 g Maple syrup can be substituted for white sugar in cooking. Use ? cup maple syrup for 1 cup white sugar. Reduce liquid in recipe by 3 Tablespoons for each cup syrup used.

The sugar in maple syrup is sucrose and invert sugar. White sugar is sucrose, whereas invert sugar is a breakdown product of sucrose. There is no evidence that maple syrup is healthier than white sugar.

You can purchase equipment from maple equipment dealers such as Waterloo/Small, Leader Evaporator, G.H. Grimm, or Dominion & Grimm. Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for help finding these companies or look them up on the Internet.

The biggest difference between New York and Vermont maple products is the label. Producers in Vermont generally bottle their syrup at a slightly higher sugar content (66.5 Brix) than producers in New York (minimum of 66 Brix although many New York producers go higher). A higher Brix reading gives the syrup a little more viscosity, which consumers generally prefer. Higher sugar content (over 67 Brix) may result in sugar crystals in the syrup.

Maple syrup can be treated with a very small amount of animal fat, butter, or cream to reduce foaming. Most modern producers use synthetic compounds in order to reduce foaming during production. It is typically vegan. Spring Tree, Maple Groves, and Holsum Foods all report that their maple syrups do not use an animal-derived defoaming agent.

Yes, rumours abound about maple syrup containing pork fat. The US vegan society has checked all known sources and found that they are all suitable for vegans. The answer would be that in it's natural form, yes of course it is. However those with environmental concerns should be aware that it takes approx 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of syrup. The method used for reducing the syrup is to boil, boil, boil it for hours until it thickens.

Maple syrup can be used in beer, and is generally best in darker styles. Unfortunately, it is very expensive, and you will need to use at least a gallon to get any noticeable flavor in a 5 gallon batch. Add it halfway through the boil, so it boils for at least 30 minutes. When formulating a beer using maple syrup, keep the hopping rate low (under 5-8 AAU's) to give the delicate maple flavor a chance to be tasted.

There is a store which sells real maple syrup (imported from Canada) but it's hard to find. It's located at the international market (Gukchae market) in Nam Po Dong. You may also order from Jeli Deli in Itaewon, Seoul. They have offered to ship to Pusan. For more info contact: Lee Jae Joon at jelldeli@netsgo.com

Karo pancake syrup can be equally substituted for maple syrup, honey or molasses in most recipes and when used as a topping. Recipes using Karo pancake syrup will not be as sweet and the finished products will have different flavor characteristics.

Yes, first dilute the maple syrup with 50% boiling water, and then stir into the beer to raise the gravity by 3 - 4 points (see above). You will probably not notice any difference in flavor with this small amount of maple syrup compared with corn sugar.

Brushed on the salmon after a brine rinse, the maple syrup stops the salination process after the salt is removed. Brown sugar or regular sugar doesn’t achieve the same results. This is how we control the amount of salt, which is already very low compared to the competition, and it’s how we assure that, even if the product is smoked longer, the salt does not continue to intensify inside the product.

Cane syrup is made from sugar cane. This thick, extremely sweet syrup is used in Caribbean and Creole cookery and is available in shops specializing in those cuisine's.

Like molasses, this is a syrup that remains after the crystallizable sugars have been removed. However, since the syrup is removed later in the refinement process, it doesn't have as heavy a taste or color as molasses. It's made from evaporated sugar cane juice and has a rich, toasty flavor unmatched by any other sweeteners.

Corn Syrup is a thick, sweet syrup created by processing cornstarch with acids or enzymes. It comes in light or dark forms. Light corn syrup has been clarified to remove all color and cloudiness. Dark corn syrup, because it has caramel favor and coloring added to it, has a deeper color and a stronger flavor. Corn syrup is particularly popular as an ingredient in frostings, candies, jams and jellies because it inhibits crystallization. It's also used as a pancake syrup.