GOOD PR HELPS DEFUSE MAPLE SYRUP SCARE

A year and US$80,000 later, the American ma-ple
industry has made some progress in cooling public
fears about lead in its products.
The issue came to a boil last year when a Vermont
newspaper reported that several times the
acceptable levels of lead for food were found in
maple products. 
"Nobody is getting poisoned eating contaminated
maple syrup," Dave McClure, a Littleton, New
Hampshire, maple packer says; per-capita
consumption is too low, averaging about three or
four ounces per person annually. 
But low-per-person intake "only goes so far" with a
public highly concerned about contaminants in their
food, he admits.
The maple industry responded to the crisis quickly.
A Washington-based publicity and crisis firm
charged US$25,000 to reverse the flow of damaging
information. A top food chemist was hired as a
consultant for US$40,000. The conclusion is that
there is no one source, "there is no silver bullet"
that will solve the problem of lead, McClure says.
It may come from brass in pumps, from galvanized
tanks used to hold syrup. "Lead-free soldering is
available now, but it wasn't 20 years ago," he
says. So there may be contamination from older
equipment.
Old buckets, gathering tanks, and milk cans used to
hold hot syrup are all contributing factors.
Replacing them cut lead levels in half in McClure's
hobby operation, to 180 parts per billion (ppb)
from 375. But McClure is reluctant to recommend
that to everyone because it is expensive.
Lead in maple syrup likely isn't new, he says.
High-tech testing methods revealed its presence. It
wouldn't have been found two decades ago, and
different technology is needed to find lead in
syrup than in wine or water.
Producers are urged to take steps in their
operations to reduce lead contamination. Producers
shouldn't paint pails or equipment in their maple
huts. Nor should they use less-expensive lead
solder on repaired or home built equipment. 
Over-cleaning boiling pans with acids can expose
lead-soldered seams. Using sour sap to clean pans
may also be connected to lead levels, but there are
only preliminary studies on this, McClure warns.
The bottom line is that changing a single
management practice may not be enough to lower lead
levels. But it is something that must be done, he
says.
Lead in maple products is significantly higher than
in jams and sweetener spreads. And it is likely
that is taken up through the soil into trees. 
"We are selling a high-priced gourmet product," he
says. "We can't put ourselves on a pedestal when
the average (lead) in the food supply is 100
(ppb)."
Producers are warned that one of the worst things
they can do is pour hot syrup into an old milk can.
The old cans were turn-plate steel. The newer cans
were lead soldered stainless steel. Cans were
intended for milk, which went into cans at much
less than 180F degrees, the recommended minimum
temperature for packaging syrup.
Only food grade materials should be used. 
John Butler, Barrie-based Ontario agriculture
ministry maple specialist says Health Canada
officials "tell us the numbers that are being
talked about are not a problem" given low
consumption levels. But Butler acknowledges that
perception becomes more important than truth with
consumers. -DS 

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