Pure Canadian Maple Media Kit For media inquiries, please contact: BLAKE H. MIRZAYAN, PadillaCRT BLAKE.MIRZAYAN@padillacrt.com t (804) 675-8195
Canadian Maple Production Canada produces 71 percent of the maple syrup sold in the world, 91 percent of which is produced in Quebec. Canada s Amerindian people taught the early settlers how to harvest and boil sap to make maple syrup. Now enjoyed in over 50 countries around the world, pure Canadian maple syrup products range from traditional maple syrup to maple water, maple sugar, maple butter and maple candy. While Quebec is the primary maple-producing region in the world, other regions in Canada, such as Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, also produce maple syrup. In Quebec, there are more than 7,300 maple syrup sugar houses that produce millions of gallons of pure syrup each year. For instance, more than 148 million pounds were produced in 2016, a record-shattering year. More than 80 percent of Quebec s maple syrup is exported to 53 countries. The U.S. is the largest export market for maple syrup from Canada. In 2015, over 59 million lbs. were exported to the U.S. 71% of the world s maple syrup is canadian 50+ countries import Canadian maple syrup 148M pounds were produced in 2016 80% of quebec s maple syrup is exported 2
cultural connection Maple syrup is a key ingredient in Quebec and international cuisine, and has long been part of Canada s cultural fabric. Production is closely tied to culture and history in Canada and Quebec, with many maple farms passed down for generations. Each spring, many Quebecois go to their local sugar shack for a traditional, hearty meal, featuring maple dishes like split pea soup, maple-smoked ham, baked beans, crêpes and a variety of maple desserts and candy. Maple taffy, a favorite treat of Canadian children often served at sugar shacks, is made by pouring reduced hot maple syrup onto clean snow. Once sufficiently thickened to the texture of caramel, the maple candy can be twirled around a wooden stick and enjoyed like a lollipop. 3
How Maple Syrup is Made Pure maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple tree and produced in limited capacity only once per year. In the springtime, when the nights are still cold, the water from the soil is naturally absorbed into the tree. During the day, the warmer temperature creates pressure that pushes the water back down to the bottom of the tree, making sap collection possible. The maple harvest season only lasts for a period of about 12 to 20 days, usually from early March to the end of April. Any maple tree measuring about 8 inches in diameter or more may be tapped, but the number of taps on a single tree is calculated based on the tree s diameter, its health and its growth rate. Regulated tapping does not affect a tree s growth. It takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. For other maple products butter, taffy or sugar the maple syrup is further boiled in the evaporator to the temperature necessary to produce each product. step 1 step 2 step 3 step 4 Collection via traditional buckets or modern tubing Transportation To sugar house Evaporating via modern evaporator Final Product 4
maple grading North American maple syrup has a complex classification system and is graded according to color, clarity, density and strength of maple flavor. Maple syrup is divided into the following grades: Grade A: Golden, Delicate taste; Amber, Rich taste; Dark, Robust taste; and Very Dark, Strong taste Processing Grade: Only used for industrial purposes Made from sap tapped at the beginning of the season, Grade A Golden, Delicate taste syrup is generally clearer and lighter in taste. As the season advances, the syrup becomes darker and more caramelized in flavor. Because of its more distinctive taste, darker maple syrup is preferable when cooking. Maple syrup grades are determined with a spectrophotometer, an instrument that measures the amount of light going through maple syrup. Percentage of light passing through: >75% 50% to 74.9% 25% to 49.9% <24.9% Grade A Golden Delicate Taste Grade A Amber rich Taste Grade A Dark robust Taste Grade A Very dark strong Taste 5
high quality C Natural product Maple syrup is 100 percent natural pure and free of any coloring or additives. Organic and kosher maple syrup brands are readily available, and about 20 percent of all Quebec maple syrup is organic. Canadian laws and regulations for maple syrup production ensure the quality and cleanliness of maple syrup. Each province has its own maple syrup regulations. Quebec is the only province in North America that has quality inspectors who, by hand, test and classify around 200,000 barrels of maple syrup each year. All Grade A maple syrup must also meet the following requirements: Unfermented Even in color Sediment-free No cloudiness or haziness Maple flavor characteristic of its color class No objectionable odor or taste 6
NAPSI-certified pure maple water Maple water is another term for maple sap, the clear liquid that flows naturally through sugar maple trees. Maple syrup, on the other hand, is a concentrated form of maple sap, and the result of evaporating water from the sap until it reaches the consistency of syrup. Full of the electrolytes, minerals and antioxidants naturally occurring in sugar maple trees, maple water is also naturally low in sugar. With only 20 calories per one cup serving, it has half the calories of coconut water, making it a healthy and refreshing source of hydration. To help consumers identify the highest quality maple water, The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers developed the NAPSI certification, a unique production process that preserves the real taste and quality of maple water from Canada. Unlike other maple water offerings currently available in the U.S., NAPSI-certified maple water is unrefined and preserves not just some, but all of the original characteristics of maple sap. NAPSI, which stands for natural, authentic, pure, sterile and integral, is the only quality seal to date that guarantees you get the authentic sugar bush experience. Maple water is a refreshing drink on its own, but also adds a subtle hint of sweetness and maple flavor when used in cooking and baking. Mixologists use pure maple water in ice cubes and cocktails, and chefs choose it as an ingredient for marinades, soups, ice creams and sorbets. With 46 essential nutrients, including potassium and sodium, maple water is an excellent thirst quencher, and used by athletes to rehydrate after physical exercise. 7
maple syrup nutrition* Maple syrup contains fewer calories than corn syrup and honey. Maple syrup contains 63 antioxidant compounds, five of which have never before been identified in nature, and several of which are also found in berries, tea, red wine, flax seed and whole wheat. The antioxidants in maple syrup can delay or prevent free radical induced diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. A ¼ cup portion of maple syrup contains as much antioxidant activity as one serving of raw tomato or broccoli. A ¼ cup of maple syrup contains 100 percent of the Daily Value for manganese, which is an important factor in energy production, healthy bone formation and antioxidant defenses and is necessary for normal brain and nerve function. A ¼ cup of maple syrup contains 34 percent of the Daily Value of riboflavin, which aids in the metabolic processes, and 11 percent of the Daily Value of zinc, which is essential for normal reproduction and growth, as well as a healthy immune system. Maple syrup supplies a small amount of potassium. Potassium is essential in electrolyte balance and normal muscle development and aids in the metabolism of protein and carbohydrate. Unlike most common pancake syrups, pure maple syrup does not contain high fructose corn syrup. *Facts and figures based on research by the University of Rhode Island. 8
Environmental Benefits of Maple* Forests in Quebec currently in use for the production of maple goods are ecological powerhouses. They provide $844 million in ecosystem services that are useful and essential to human well-being and do not, in many cases, have any man-made substitute. Maple forests producing pure maple syrup store 962,000 metric tons of carbon each year. This is the equivalent of offsetting the carbon emissions from 290,000 vehicles in a year or 14% of the vehicles in New York City. Maple forests used for maple production are generally protected by Quebec law through a number of provisions and cannot be cut down. There are approximately 53 million untapped maple trees in Quebec. The total potential economic value of the entire maple forest is $2.1 billion USD and it could offset the carbon emissions from 770,000 vehicles each year, or one-third of the vehicles in New York City. Dedicating the 53 million untapped maple trees for maple production is one way to ensure their protection from being cut down and save the ecological benefits for future generations. Consumer choices make a difference. If one person per household uses one teaspoon of maple syrup or maple sugar each day instead of another sweetener, two new maple trees go into production and under protection. If many people made the switch to maple, large areas of forest would be protected, providing more benefits and conserving a proud heritage to serve future generations. *Facts and figures based on a study by Groupe AGÉCO and the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers. 34M+ Quebec maple trees in production. Quebec Maple Trees Under Protection Offset: 290K vehicles carbon emissions per year. or 14% of the vehicles in New York city per year. When you use 1 tsp. of a maple product, You put two maple trees into production and under protection. 9
Health Benefits of Maple Research into ways to tap maple for various health benefits is an ongoing and exciting process. These are some of the potential benefits recent research has found: Research announced in 2016 suggests pure maple syrup shows promise in protecting brain cells against the kind of damage found in Alzheimer s disease. A recent study found an extract of maple syrup may help prevent the misfolding and clumping of two types of proteins found in brain cells beta amyloid and tau peptide. When cellular proteins fold improperly and clump together, they accumulate and form plaque that is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer s and other brain diseases. A pure maple syrup extract prevented the fibrillation (tangling) of beta amyloid proteins and exerted neuroprotective effects in rodent s microglial brain cells. A 2011 pilot study showed that healthy laboratory rats fed a diet in which some of the carbohydrate was replaced with pure maple syrup yielded significantly better results in liver function tests than the control groups fed a diet with a syrup mix containing a similar sugar content as maple syrup. Initial studies suggest that maple syrup may prove to be relevant in Type 2 diabetes management. Polyphenols in maple syrup inhibit two enzymes involved in the conversion of carbohydrate to sugar. In preliminary studies, maple syrup had a greater enzyme-inhibiting effect compared to several other healthy plant foods, such as berries, when tested on a dry-weight basis. Alzheimer s Facts It s the only cause of death in the top 10 in America that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers does not promote an increase of sugar consumption. When choosing a sweetener for moderate use, pure maple syrup has more healthful compounds compared to some other sources of sugar. 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer s or another dementia. 10
Cooking C Baking with Maple Quebec maple syrup can be used as a healthier alternative to sugar in a variety of desserts and baked goods, such as pies and cakes. To substitute maple syrup for brown or white sugar, use a 2/3 cup maple syrup for every cup of granulated sugar, reduce the quantity of liquid ingredients in the recipe (water, milk, juice) by about 1/4 cup and lower the baking temperature by 25 F. Maple syrup may also serve as a one-to-one substitution for other liquid sweeteners, such as honey, molasses and corn syrup. Maple syrup adds depth and complexity to cooking as an ingredient in glazes, rubs or barbeque sauces for poultry, meat, seafood or vegetables. Maple syrup also can: Add subtle sweetness and a hint of maple flavor to fresh fruit, cereal and ice cream Sweeten tea, hot chocolate, coffee, eggnog and smoothies Jazz up cocktails, in place of simple syrup 11
Frequently Asked Questions What is the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers? The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ) was founded in 1966 and created to boost the economic, social and ethical interests and enforce safety and environmental standards for the more than 7,300 maple syrup sugar houses. The FPAQ proudly promotes the brand Quebec Maple Products, in addition to coordinating the promotion and value creation of Canadian maple products internationally on behalf of the Canadian maple industry. In this capacity, the FPAQ steers and coordinates the International Innovation Network on Maple Products from Canada. How do I Know if I am Buying Pure Maple Syrup or the Fake Stuff? There are many brands of pure Canadian maple syrup on the U.S. market, all of which are 100 percent natural and free of any coloring or additives. Leading pancake syrups contain zero pure maple syrup and rely on high fructose corn syrup as the primary sweetening ingredient, along with additives like artificial flavorings and coloring agents. Bottom line, be sure to check the label. Sometimes imitation syrups list maple syrup as an ingredient, when it only contains 5 percent. Check the bottle to make sure you re getting 100 percent of the real, Canadian thing. What Are Other Products Made From Maple? There is a diverse selection of products, including candies and caramels, cereals, jams and spreads, ketchup and mustard, maple nut snacks, maple vinegar and vinaigrettes, as well as maple beers, wines and other beverages. How Extensive is Canadian Production? Canadian maple syrup is exported to over 50 countries, and the U.S. is the primary importer. In 2016, Quebec had a record year producing over 145 million pounds of maple syrup. The Federation has a strategic reserve for its syrup to help support and balance the growing exportation demand for future years. Is Maple Syrup Sustainable in Canada? Yes. Producers must adhere to strict guidelines and standards set forth by Canadian law and the Federation throughout the production process. Each harvest, the sugar trees are tapped in a slightly different area than the previous year, preserving the health of the trees. The Canadian Preservation of Agricultural Land and Agricultural Activities Act (i.e. Loi sur la protection du territoire et des activités agricoles) forbids cutting down an entire maple grove in an agricultural zone. For recipe ideas and more information, please visit www.purecanadamaple.com 12