Development of an automated antifoam device for the production of 100% pure maple syrup

Maple syrup production can be divided into three main stages: the first stage involves collecting maple sap, the second stage is concentration using osmotic systems, and the third stage is concentration using evaporators. During this final stage, in the evaporation process, the concentrated maple sap is heated until it reaches the boiling point of water, allowing all excess water to escape and achieving a sugar content between 66 and 68 Brix (Bx). As the sugar concentration increases, foam typically forms due to the rising viscosity of the liquid and the interaction between molecules. Historically, milk, cream, or animal fats were used to break the foam. Today, vegetable oils or other commercially available antifoams are preferred, as they can break the polarity of the mixture when foam appears. However, due to legislation and the impact that vegetable oils can have on the taste of syrup, it is now important to find a less invasive approach to solve this issue.

Therefore, this project aims to improve, scale up, and automate a heat exchanger already developed by the consortium at the pilot scale to control foaming with minimal impact on maple syrup production time. This new technology will assist maple syrup producers by reducing flavor defects and simplifying the production process.