# Maple Syrup has mold skin on it??



## letscook (Oct 15, 2011)

I have been buying maple pancake syrup from a menonite store for years.
The other day went to use it over pancakes and when I poured it out a moldy film came out.  I had for about a month.  Never had this happen before.

I didn't use it, but I was told  you still can  just take of the film of mold  off then  bring it to a boil and your good to go.

I have my doubts !!!! - mold is mold -  What do all of you say?
I tossed it anyways to be safe


----------



## CWS4322 (Oct 15, 2011)

I am not an expert, but we do evap sap. One of the "rules" is that the sap has to be kept at a certain temperature if you are holding it before evap'ing it otherwise bacteria develops. The other thing, is if it isn't evap'ed to a certain concentrate, it can (will) mold if not stored in the fridge. To be safe, I freeze all our sap if we can't evap it right away and I seal our maple syrup in a hot water bath as if I were making jelly. And, once opened, I always keep it in the fridge. I would've taken it back. It sounds as if they might have mis-processed this batch. Sorry.


----------



## letscook (Oct 15, 2011)

I would of but I had it about a month - 1/2 of jug left.   
will store in fridge from now on   thanks for the info


----------



## Aunt Bea (Oct 15, 2011)

If it is real maple syrup you should be able to skim off any obvious mold and then heat the syrup and skim off any additional scum that may rise to the surface.  Put it into a clean container and refrigerate until you need it.  I buy a gallon every couple of years and I have not had any problems.  The mold is actually a good sign that the stuff is real and will support life, unlike many of the engineered products we use today.


----------



## buckytom (Oct 15, 2011)

lol about supporting life, aunt bea.

the mold will flourish. 

_you'll be dead_, but the mold will do just fine... 

j/k. 

i've had real maple syrup get moldy. unfortunately, it was spread throughout like little dark clumps, so i tossed it. mold doesn't always stay on the surface of something. it can be most notable on a surface, but threads of it can grow right through something unnoticed.

you probably did the right thing letscook.


----------



## Andy M. (Oct 16, 2011)

The maple syrup I buy tells me to refrigerate after opening.  I have never had a problem with any type of spoilage.


----------



## letscook (Oct 16, 2011)

will store in fridge from now on.
At the cost of it don't want his to happen again.
thanks everyone for all !!!


----------



## Rohr (Oct 20, 2011)

skim it then heat it to a light boil then  re package it and you are golden. 
Don't use the same container unless you clean & sanitize it


----------



## letscook (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks for your response - but I don't think I could use it knowing that the mold was on it even if I boiled it i would still know it was there.  
I tossed it and purchased a new bottle and it is will be in the fridge once I open it.


----------



## Sprout (Oct 20, 2011)

Where I grew up that was the general practice. Keep it in the fridge, and if it gets moldy boil & skim. The last bottle I had actually had those instructions on it, & you'd figure somebody would have sued them & they'd have removed the instructions by now if it didn't work! That wasn't a bit of social commentary or anything... 

But really, if you would be grossed out the entire time anyway, you wouldn't have enjoyed it and it wouldn't be worth all that sugar, so you probably did the right thing.


----------



## jpe (Oct 31, 2011)

Once maple syrup has gotten mold - it is to be THROWN OUT. Surface mold is only a 'showing' of the mold that is throughout the syrup (same with bread and jam etc.)

This has been documented in many places - and - yes - it contradicts what your mother or grandmother used to do - skim off the mold -

An Important Message About Jam & Jelly Making - Home Cooking

The only safe visible mold is on dairy products - the jury is still out re meat and the mold that abounds in the ageing process (or if anyone has any fresh (pun) input on this - ?)


----------



## CWS4322 (Oct 31, 2011)

As s/one who harvests sap and evaps it, I wholeheartedly agree that moldy syrup is not something to try and fix. The cause could be a number of things, including that it wasn't stored in the fridge after being opened. But, the problem could also have been the conditions underwhich the sap was collected and stored before it was evap'd, maybe the heat dropped while evapping dropped and the sap was left unattended for too long, the sugar content was off, or that maybe there was some silver maple sap mixed in--silver maple sap's ratio is 60:1, whereas sugar maple is 40-44:1. I know it is expensive, but better safe than sorry. My father has over evap'd sap and has had crystals form in his syrup, but, no mold or scum on the top.


----------



## Dawgluver (Oct 31, 2011)

We had a lovely bottle of MS in the fridge.  One day, DH freaked and pointed out this huge clump of white mold in the bottle.  When I dug it out, it turned out it was a piece of the peel off cover.  No mold at all.


----------



## buckytom (Oct 31, 2011)

lol, dawg. he was assuredly protecting you, that's all. it's in our genes.


----------

