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# United States Standards

f or Grades of Maple

Syrup

Effective March 2, 2015Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural

Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to

designat e different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by

producers, sup pliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for

grades of fresh and processed fruits

, vegetables, and specialty crops these

standards are designed to facilitate orderly mark eting by providing a convenient

basis for buying and selling, for establishing quality control programs, and for

determining loan values.

The U.S. grade standards and inspection instructions for all fresh and processed fruits

, vegetables

, and specialty crops are available on the internet and upon request at the

address below. These documents provide detailed interpretations of the grade standards

and provide step

- by

- step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture (USDA) after careful

consideration of all data and views submitted during rulemaking. T he Department

welcomes suggestions for improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be

submitted to, and copies of standards and inspe ction instructions obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Fruit and Vegetable Program,

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

_________________________________________ ____________________ ___ __________ Authority : 7 U.S.C. 1621

- 1627.

Note : Compliance with the provisions of these standards shall not excuse failure to

comply with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or

with applicable State laws and regulations.

Non

- Discrimination Policy: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers,

employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender

identi ty, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual

orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic

information in em ployment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases

will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To File an Employment Complaint: If you wish to file an

employment complaint, you must contac t your agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged

discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action. Addi tional information can be found online at

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html

. To File a Program Complaint: If you wish to file a Civil Rights

program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), fo und online at

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632

- 9992 to request the form.

You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or

letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20250

- 9 410, by fax (202) 690

- 7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov

. Persons with

Disabilities: Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or

program c omplaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877

- 8339 or (800) 845

- 6136 (in

Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact

us by mail directly or by email . If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., braille,

large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET C enter at (202) 720

- 2600 (voice and TDD ).United States Standards for G rades of Maple Syrup

Section Page No.

§52.5961 Product description.

................................ ................................ ..................... 2

§52.5962 Grades.

................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 2

§52.5963 Recommended Fill of Container.

................................ ................................ . 2

§52.5964 Color.

................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 3

§52.5965 Classification Requirements.

................................ ................................ ....... 3

§52.5966 Explanation of Terms.

................................ ................................ .................. 4

§52.5967 Determining the Grade of a Lot.

................................ ................................ .. 5

§52.5968 Reserved.

................................ ................................ ................................ .... 5

United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup ( March 2, 2015 )

1§ 52

. 5961 P rodu c t d esc rip t ion.

Mapl e syru p is t h e li qu id foo d der i ve d b y c oncen t ra ting an d hea t t rea ting s a p fro m th e

map le tre e (Acer) as def i ne d in t h e U

. S

. F oo d an d Dru g Adm i ni s tra ti o n (F D A ) S t andard s

o f I dent i t y fo r Map le S i ru p (2 1 C F R 168

. 140 ) i ss ue d unde r t h e F edera l F ood

, Drug

, an d

Cosmeti c Act. The solids content of the finished maple syrup shall not be less 66

p ercent by weight (Brix)

.

§52

. 596 2 Gr a d es.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of maple syrup that:

(1) Not more than 68.9 percent solids content by weight (Brix);

(2) H a s goo d un i for m c o l or ;

(3) Has good flavor and odor, and intensity of flavor (maple taste) normally

associated with the color class;

(4) Is free from off flavors and odors considered as damage;

(5) Is free from cloudiness, turbidity, sediment, and is clean;

(6) No deviants for damag e shall be allowed in Grade A.

(b) Maple syrup for processing (Processing Grade) means any maple syrup that

does not meet Grade A requirements, but meets the requirement of Processing

Grade for use in the manufacturing of other products. Ma ple syrup for

processing must be packed in containers of 5 gallons or 20 liters or larger.

Processing Grade maple syrup cannot be packaged in consumer

- size containers

for retail sales (containers of less than 5 gallons).

(1) May be any color class and any li ght transmittance; and not more than

68.9 percent solids content by weight (Brix);

(2) May contain off flavors; and odors;

(3) May have a very strong taste.

(c) Substandard is the quality of maple syrup that fails to meet the requirements of

Processing Grade maple syrup.

§52.5963 Recommended Fill of Container.

T h e amount that a container is filled is no t a requirement since the fill of a container is

not a quality factor. It is, however, recommende d t ha t ea ch c on t a i ne r b e f ill e d with

United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup ( March 2, 2015 )

2s y ru p a s fu ll a s pra ct i c ab le an d t ha t t h e produ ct o cc up y at least 9 0 percent o f t h e

vo l um e o f t h e c on t a i ner

.

§5 2.5964 Color.

General. The color class of maple syrup is determined by:

(a) The percent of light transmission through the syrup as measured with a

spectrophotometer using matched square optical cells having a 10mm light path

at a wavelength of 560 nm. The color value is expressed as percent of light

transmission as compared to analyt ical reagent glycerol fixed at 100 percent.

Percent transmission is symbolized by “ %Tc. ”

(b) Any method that provides equivalent results.

When certifying the color of a sample that has been officially drawn and which

represents a specific lot of maple syrup , if the number of color deviants exceeds the

acceptance number in the appropriate sampling plan, the lot should be designated as

mixed color.

§52

. 596 5 Cl ass i f i cat ion R e quir e m e n ts.

(a) “ Grade A ” classification.

(1) Possesses a good maple flavor (taste) characteristic of the color;

(2) Is clean, free from turbidity or cloudiness, and free from off flavors and

odors;

(3) Has goo d uniform colo r, which means the s yru p c o l o r is brigh t an d

t y pi c a l o f map le syru p

.

“ Grade A ” Maple syrup has four color and flavor c lasses

Co l o r cl a ss e s ar e a ss o ci ate d w ith specific %Tc va l ue s a s follows :

Grade A

Color Classes Taste Light Transmittance

(% Tc)

U.S. Grade A Golden Delicate > 75

. 0

U.S. Grade A Amber Rich 50.0

- 74.9

U.S. Grade A Dark Robust 25

. 0

- 49.9

U.S. Grade A Very Dark Strong < 25

. 0

United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup ( March 2, 2015 )

3(b) “ Processing Grade ” classification. Fails to meet the requirements of Grade

A, but possesses a fairly good characteristic maple taste and may contain off

flavors, but is fairly free of damage, fairly free of turbidity or cloudiness, and is

fairly clean

.

(c) Substandard classification

. Maple syrup that fails to meet the requirements of

paragraph (b) of this section shall not be graded above Substandard.

§52

. 596 6 Ex pl a n ati on of T e r ms.

(a) Brix is the percentage by weight concentration of total soluble solids (mainly

sugar), of maple syrup when tested with a refractometer calibrated at 68

degrees Fahrenheit and to which any applicable temperature correction has

been made; or by any other method w hich gives equivalent results.

(b) Buddy flavor or buddiness (classified as damage), is a disagreeable flavor

characteristic of syrup when sap is collected from maple trees as they come

out of dormancy

. This flavor can be described as tasting chocolaty to bi tter

chocolaty.

(c) Clean means that the syrup is free from foreign material such as pieces of

bark, soot, dust, or dirt.

(d) Damage means any defects that materially affect the appearance, edibility, or

quality of the syrup

. Badly scorched syrup, b uddy syrup, fermented syrup, or

syrup that has any off flavor s or odor s shall be c onsidered as damage.

(e) Fermentation (classified as damage), means the chemical breakdown of a

substance by bacteria, yeasts, molds, or other microorganisms.

(f) Light Transmittance (Tc) means the ability of a liquid to transmit light as

determined optically by means of a spectrophotometer.

(g) Off

- flavor or off

- odor ( classified as damage)

, means any specific and

identifiable or unidentifiable flavor or odor defec t that is not normally found in

Grade A maple syrup. These flavors or odors may be related to natural factors

(e.g., woody or buddy), to manufacturing practices (e.g., burnt, chemical,

fermented, scorched ), or caused by the presence of any disagreeable fl avor or

odor that may have developed during handling or storage.

(h) Taste means the intensity of maple flavor. The descriptors for the taste of

Grade A Maple Syrup are as follows:

(1) Delicate means mild maple taste.

(2) Rich means a full

- bodied maple taste of medium intensity

.

United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup ( March 2, 2015 )

4(3) Robust means stronger maple taste than the lighter colors.

(4) Strong means a maple taste that is stronger than robust.

(i) Turbidity or c loudiness means the presence, in the suspension, of fine particles

of mineral matter such as m alate of lime, niter, sugar sand, calcium malate, or

other substance that detract from the clearness of the syrup.

(1) Malate of lime means fine particles of mineral matter in maple s y rup.

(2) Sugar sand or niter generally means a harmless gritty substance

naturally found in maple s y rup, and is often referred to as cloudiness.

(3) Calcium malate results from high calcium and malic acid concentrations

in the syrup and is one of the least soluble salts in the syrup.

§52

. 596 7 D ete rmi n ing t he Gr a de of a L ot.

Th e grad e o f a l o t o f map le s yru p c overe d b y the se st andard s is de t erm i ne d by t h e

procedure s in t h e R e gul at ions Go ve rning In s p ect ion a nd C e r t i ficat ion of Pr o cesse d

Frui t s a nd Ve g eta bl es, P ro cesse d P rodu ct s Th e r e o f

, a nd C e r ta in P ro cesse d F o o d

P ro d u ct s ( 7 CFR 52 .1 t hroug h 52

. 83)

.

§52

. 596 8 Reserved

.

United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup ( March 2, 2015 )

5