# Conflicting info maple syrup



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Startingover said:


> I threw everything out from freezer & fridge from when we were without power.
> 
> EXCEPT. An expensive bottle of pure maple syrup which was opened. I googled it and one article said yes throw it out another article said no it’s fine.
> 
> I already had one stomach issue one afternoon possibly because I used condiments I was slow to throw out.


Hmmm.

Seems like the worst thing that would happen to maple syrup is that it would ferment, ie turn to alcohol, as opposed to rot and get bacteria in it, the way, say, meat based sauce might. Any of the advisers give reasons for their verdicts? I’m curious to know, and hoping you and everyone over in Ian’s path are okay.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

DoomsDave said:


> Hmmm.
> 
> Seems like the worst thing that would happen to maple syrup is that it would ferment, ie turn to alcohol, as opposed to rot and get bacteria in it, the way, say, meat based sauce might. Any of the advisers give reasons for their verdicts? I’m curious to know, and hoping you and everyone over in Ian’s path are okay.


Pretty much back to normal. A ton of small twigs to rake up then put the bagger on mower and cleaned leaves up. That was front. I haven’t done the back, no one sees it but me but it’s a mess.


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## snic (Sep 16, 2018)

I think I left some real maple syrup out for a few days (or weeks?) in warm weather once, and it grew some mold.

The nice thing about maple syrup is that it's essentially very concentrated sugar. That is an antiseptic; there is not much that can grow in high concentrations. But some mold can, under the right conditions. I'd suggest that if it doesn't look moldy or cloudy, and you taste a small amount and it seems fine, it's probably fine to eat.


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## RockyMtBeerMan (Dec 12, 2018)

I've never put syrup in the fridge and it's never gone bad.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

How long was the power out? And I also never put any syrup in the fridge. Its at room temp for months and its always still good.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

Maple syrup can be left out but opening it exposes it to mold spores, which are almost everywhere. FL is the mold capitol of the free world. When in doubt, I toss it out.


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## Roxygal (Sep 4, 2019)

I go by the smell and taste test. If it smells and tastes good, then it's fine. If not, toss it. If there's mold just on top, you can just spoon it off and the rest should be good. I do that with preserves and have never gotten sick. If that grosses you out, then just toss.


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## bfrabel (Oct 22, 2017)

RockyMtBeerMan said:


> I've never put syrup in the fridge and it's never gone bad.





J. V. said:


> How long was the power out? And I also never put any syrup in the fridge. Its at room temp for months and its always still good.


Are either of you actually talking about maple syrup, like the poster is asking about, or are you talking about the fake kind that we used to call Aunt Jemima before that was decided to be racist? The fake syrup, which is made out of corn instead of tree sap, does not require refrigeration, but the real kind that comes from trees is supposed to be refrigerated.

I also think I'd go by look, smell, and taste before just blindly throwing the real kind away. That stuff is expensive! (Of course I can understand not wanting to get sick though, that can be expensive too).


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## RockyMtBeerMan (Dec 12, 2018)

Both. If there is any mold floating on top, I just scape it off.


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## Frank Lavorngia (7 mo ago)

We buy our Maple Syrp directly from the Amish. We do not refridgerate after opening. They tell us refridgeration is not required. 
It comes in a brown plastic jug. I've never checked to look for mold. 
BTW I have a friend whom does not put his ketchup in the fridge.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

No mold. Hesitant to taste it but I will. Actually I love it so much if Im in the mood for a sweet I sip about a shot glass full.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Frank Lavorngia said:


> We buy our Maple Syrp directly from the Amish. We do not refridgerate after opening. They tell us refridgeration is not required.
> It comes in a brown plastic jug. I've never checked to look for mold.
> BTW I have a friend whom does not put his ketchup in the fridge.


Before the individual catchup packets diners used to keep ketchup bottle sitting on the tables.


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## snic (Sep 16, 2018)

Startingover said:


> Before the individual catchup packets diners used to keep ketchup bottle sitting on the tables.


Some still do, but in a diner with a high turnover, the bottles will be emptied and refilled quite frequently. Ketchup can definitely sit outside the fridge for a few days without going bad.

One thing that makes a huge difference is temperature. If you live in a climate with a cold season and have a compost bin, you get a real education in this. Compost barely rots in winter here in NY. In summer, it starts rotting and sprouting mold well before I can even transfer it from the kitchen to the bin. So given that the OP is talking about real maple syrup (not the fake stuff that has preservatives and even more sugar, both of which retard mold and bacteria growth) and lives in FL, there's a risk of it going bad if left outside the fridge for more than a few days.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Maple Syrup will mould - it's something like 2/3 sucrose so a pretty good medium. I guess whether spooning off the visible mould works is up to the individual. Even so-called pure maple syrup must have impurities, although I could find any literature on it. Processors use filters and other things so it seems not impossibly that some impurities might get or stay in the syrup. Our daughter and S-in-L do jams, and the odd one will grow some mould, in spite of all the cooking, boiling of bottles, etc.

I'm not sure how it would ferment. There's really nothing in the syrup to convert the sugars.


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## snic (Sep 16, 2018)

lenaitch said:


> Maple Syrup will mould - it's something like 2/3 sucrose so a pretty good medium. I guess whether spooning off the visible mould works is up to the individual. Even so-called pure maple syrup must have impurities, although I could find any literature on it. Processors use filters and other things so it seems not impossibly that some impurities might get or stay in the syrup. Our daughter and S-in-L do jams, and the odd one will grow some mould, in spite of all the cooking, boiling of bottles, etc.
> 
> I'm not sure how it would ferment. There's really nothing in the syrup to convert the sugars.


Syrup is unlikely to ferment because the high concentration of sucrose makes it very hard for bacteria and yeasts to grow. Some molds seem to be less discouraged by high sugar concentrations.

I used to buy reduced-sugar jam from Trader Joe. It's really delicious and a good value - but it molds in the fridge after just a few weeks. Regular jam will keep for months, probably because the sugar content is so much higher that even mold can't grow on it.

Everyone stores honey outside the fridge because honey will never rot. It's way too concentrated for anything to grow in it. If maple syrup were as concentrated, you wouldn't have to worry about storing it at room temperature. But you'd also have trouble pouring it on your pancakes.

If I had to guess, in decreasing order of sugar concentration and increasing order of likelihood of mold, it would be: honey > regular jam = fake maple syrup > real maple syrup > reduced sugar jam (without other preservatives)


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

bfrabel said:


> Are either of you actually talking about maple syrup, like the poster is asking about, or are you talking about the fake kind that we used to call Aunt Jemima before that was decided to be racist? The fake syrup, which is made out of corn instead of tree sap, does not require refrigeration, but the real kind that comes from trees is supposed to be refrigerated.
> 
> I also think I'd go by look, smell, and taste before just blindly throwing the real kind away. That stuff is expensive! (Of course I can understand not wanting to get sick though, that can be expensive too).


Both. We used to keep syrup in the fridge. We don't anymore. Never had the first problem. Don't expect a problem either.



Startingover said:


> No mold. Hesitant to taste it but I will. Actually I love it so much if Im in the mood for a sweet I sip about a shot glass full.


Why are you afraid to taste it? Its very unlikely there's anything wrong with it. The food you through away was probably fine as well. Do you by any chance have OCD?



Startingover said:


> Before the individual ketchup packets diners used to keep ketchup bottle sitting on the tables.


Waffle House still does. But most places use packets today.


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## snic (Sep 16, 2018)

J. V. said:


> Do you by any chance have OCD?


That's unfair. The OP said he got sick after eating old condiments. That's enough to make anyone wary.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

snic said:


> Syrup is unlikely to ferment because the high concentration of sucrose makes it very hard for bacteria and yeasts to grow. Some molds seem to be less discouraged by high sugar concentrations.
> 
> I used to buy reduced-sugar jam from Trader Joe. It's really delicious and a good value - but it molds in the fridge after just a few weeks. Regular jam will keep for months, probably because the sugar content is so much higher that even mold can't grow on it.
> 
> ...


Well a little bit more reading brought me across this. Apparently fermenting maple syrup is a thing, although there is some debate on whether it can happen spontaneously.

Can You Ferment Maple Syrup? – Home Kitchen Talk 



Startingover said:


> Before the individual catchup packets diners used to keep ketchup bottle sitting on the tables.


Other than fast food joints, I can't remember the last time I was in a restaurant/diner (i.e. table service) that had condiments in packets.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

bfrabel said:


> Are either of you actually talking about maple syrup, like the poster is asking about, or are you talking about the fake kind that we used to call Aunt Jemima before that was decided to be racist? The fake syrup, which is made out of corn instead of tree sap, does not require refrigeration, but the real kind that comes from trees is supposed to be refrigerated.


I can't eat pancakes, waffles, etc. in a restaurant unless it is a specialty 'pancake house' because the vast majority serve that corn-based syrup. I simply can't stand the taste.

Two things I life I figure I've come to treat myself to: real maple syrup and single malt whisky.


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## snic (Sep 16, 2018)

lenaitch said:


> Well a little bit more reading brought me across this. Apparently fermenting maple syrup is a thing, although there is some debate on whether it can happen spontaneously.
> 
> Can You Ferment Maple Syrup? – Home Kitchen Talk


To get maple syrup to ferment reliably, people who make maple wine (who knew that was a thing??) have to dilute maple syrup with water. Otherwise (as I've been saying) the sugar is too concentrated for most yeast or bacteria to grow.


__
https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/4o37qe



lenaitch said:


> Two things I life I figure I've come to treat myself to: real maple syrup and single malt whisky.


You could even combine them 








Smoked Maple Cocktail Recipe


to make a smoked maple use whisky - peated scotch whisky, apricot (brandy) liqueur, maple syrup, orange juice (freshly squeezed) and garnish with orange zest twist




www.diffordsguide.com


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## Mike4916 (Oct 2, 2021)

I've never seen it go bad. We use the "fake stuff" as well as the real thing. I'd eat it as long as it looked right.

If you're anywhere near eastern Ontario you need to visit this place, eat breakfast and buy new syrup. 






Wheelers Pancake House, Sugar Camp & Museums | Wheelers Maple


Come Experience Maple! Wheelers Pancake House, Sugar Camp & Museums (Guinness World Record). Open EVERYDAY of the year 9am - 3pm. Buy Organic Maple Syrup.




wheelersmaple.com


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Should You Be Storing Maple Syrup in the Fridge? Experts Weigh In


Does maple syrup go bad if it's not kept in the refrigerator? Yes. And there's a right and a wrong way to store it. Here's how to keep your maple syrup fresh for longer.




www.realsimple.com




.

@Startingover- what condiments made you sick? Where they put on something?

@lenaitch - mold can spread throughout a food product even though you don't see it. Some molds can make you ill. There's even a fungus that can cause cancer. Look up Aflatoxin. That's mostly on grain & nuts.


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## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

To digress a bit, there was a bit of hysteria out here in California over mold and mildew in houses. A couple of court cases spooked some homeowners' insurers so badly they fled the state (then came back). 

What's the Difference Between Mold and Mildew? | The Family Handyman 

It is a fascinating subject, and trouble is avoidable, if handled soberly and mindfully. I recall a big part of the yahoo over mold and mildew was that they were alleged to be carcinogenic, though I'm not finding much about that now. Instead, it appears they're blamed for asthma and other ailments. Still serious, both to doctors and in the eyes of the law.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold_health_issues#Litigation

_Under Section 17920.3 of the California Health & Safety Code, visible mold growth and dampness of habitable rooms can be sufficient for a home to be declared as a "substandard building", offering legal recourse for those affected, such as tenants in moldy apartments.[191][192][193] Notably, California recognizes by law not only that dampness and mold exacerbate asthma but can cause its development.[194] _


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

I thought everything is California was a carcinogen.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> To digress a bit, there was a bit of hysteria out here in California over mold and mildew in houses. A couple of court cases spooked some homeowners' insurers so badly they fled the state (then came back).
> 
> What's the Difference Between Mold and Mildew? | The Family Handyman
> 
> ...


I'm allergic to black mold & have mild asthma. It makes my asthma much worse. Sometimes you don't fully realize it until you move away.

I know some docs are uncertain about it. Probably not enough research.

I'm not sure why so many homeowners up here let their plumbing go to that extent, but, they do. And the outside RH is 9% much of the year! LAC & OC have more stringent laws.

One can have a skin test done by an allergist. Constant exposure to allergens can cause memory problems and depression.

Off DD's degression now. 😊


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