Archive for May, 2010
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Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Friday, May 7th, 2010Published February 1, 2005 – Cooks Illustrated
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Because of its high moisture level and lack of preservatives, maple syrup is a perishable food product that is susceptible to the growth of yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Refrigeration not only helps maple syrup retain its flavor but prevents microorganisms from growing as well. Unopened, maple syrup will last several years stored in a cool, dark place. Once opened, it will keep six months to a year in the refrigerator.
But as maple syrup can be pricey, it can make sense to buy it in large quantities when seasonal. For long-term storage, we wondered if storing syrup in the freezer would work as well as refrigeration. We froze half the contents of one bottle of syrup, refrigerated the rest, and then conducted a comparative tasting. The syrup stored in the freezer never froze solid and, once warmed, was identical in taste to the refrigerated syrup. (The syrup never froze because of the high concentration of solids in the liquid–in this case, the sugar.) At most, the syrup will become thick, viscous, or crystallized during freezing, but a quick zap in the microwave will restore it so well that you would never know it had been “frozen.”
