Automated °Brix Measurements of Maple Syrup
Maple syrup production is a key industry in North America, especially in Canada. To support the manufacturing process and ensure quality control, Anton Paar instruments provide a fully automated solution for measuring the Brix value of maple sap or syrup.
Introduction
In Ontario Regulation 119/11 definitions (1), "maple syrup" means a syrup that
- is produced from the concentration of maple sap or by the dilution of maple products in potable water, and
- has a minimum soluble solids content of 66 per cent as determined by a refractometer at 20° C.
Soluble solids in maple syrup are mainly sucrose, followed by a small amount of fructose, minerals, antioxidants and glucose.
One way to find out the sugar content (sucrose) of maple syrup is the determination of Brix. The Brix value is a very important parameter in maple syrup production and quality assurance. Brix is the percentage by weight
(% w/w) of sucrose in a pure water solution and is expressed as degrees Brix (°Brix). One °Brix is equivalent to one gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. Determination of Brix can either be done by measuring the density value or by the refractive index. Herein we compare these two approaches with each other and intend to describe the main differences.
References
- ONTARIO REGULATION 119/11, „O. Reg. 119/11: Produce, Honey and Maple Products,“ [Online]. Available: www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110119. [Zugriff am 12 2019].
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