sugar and bone char

[Guest guest]

At 07:35 PM 08/14/2001 -0500, you wrote:

<What do they do with the sugar and bone char?? I wasn't

>aware that they used bones---could anyone tell me more about this?

 

Refined sugar is frequently processed through a filter made of charred cow

bones. Most of the major producers of refined sugar process it this way as

it is the most economical way to remove impurities and color.

 

It is hard to tell what plain old white granulated sugar has and has not

processed this way just by reading it. There is no special labeling

required. This is why many vegetarians and vegans use Turbinado sugar or

rice syrup instead of sugar in recipes. Some stores now carry granulated

sugar that has not been processed through bone char - usually sugar made

from sugar beets.

 

Someone also mentioned that maple syrup was a good vegan substitute, but

actually a lot of maple syrups contain animal products…or may contain

animal products. Fat is used to defoam maple syrup as it is being

processed, and frequently this foam is from animal fat. Vegan/vegetarian

maple syrup should be used if you are concerned.

 

Hope this helps,

Wen

 

Wen Zientek-Sico Wen

Writer, Recipe Developer, Web Content Developer, and Web Designer.

http://RecipeCard.com/ http://www.PerfectEntertaining.com/

http://www.HolidayCrafter.com/ http://www.RegionalRecipes.com/

[Guest guest]

My understanding is that for it to be labeled "pure maple syrup" they cannot put anything else in for any reason (as that might change the color, hence the grade). I've never heard of anyone using fat to defoam syrup, unless that happens in the big factories, but then it wouldn't be "pure" and would have to be labeled such. I know here in VT they do test syrups on a regular basis. Maybe about five or six years ago, one syrup maker had some beet sugar in his, and he was not only fined heavily, but humiliated in the press. He ended up going out of business.

 

Lauren

Someone also mentioned that maple syrup was a good vegan substitute, butactually a lot of maple syrups contain animal products…or may containanimal products. Fat is used to defoam maple syrup as it is beingprocessed, and frequently this foam is from animal fat. Vegan/vegetarianmaple syrup should be used if you are concerned.

[Guest guest]

At 08:26 AM 08/15/2001 -0400, you wrote:

>My understanding is that for it to be labeled " pure maple syrup " they

cannot >put anything else in for any reason (as that might change the

color, hence >the grade). I've never heard of anyone using fat to defoam

syrup, unless >that happens in the big factories, but then it wouldn't be

" pure " and would >have to be labeled such. I know here in VT they do test

syrups on a regular >basis.

 

The amount of defoamer is very, very small. But yes, a defoamer is used in

almost all maple syrup and does not prevent it from being labeled as " pure

maple syrup " . Fat has always been used to defoam maple syrup. For hundreds

of years they used plain old lard, and some very traditional smaller places

still do.

 

Many manufacturers of maple syrup have switched to a vegan defoamer,

usually vegetable oil, but many still use animal fat or a defoamer

containing acetylated monoglycerides which are usually made from a

combination of animal and vegetable fats. I also live in an area of high

maple syrup production (Upstate New York) and my vegan friends had

difficulties finding someone local who could state 100% positively that the

defoamer they used was vegan. Many were using defoamers on their list of

non-vegan defoamers as of this past spring including lard and butter.

 

There are more and more maple syrups being labeled as being vegan...but

just because it says 100% pure maple syrup does not mean that it is. 100%

to the USDA isn't what 100% would necessarily mean to you and I. =)

 

Hope this helps,

 

Wen (who is not a vegan but tries very hard to keep on top of all these

" do's " and " don'ts " )

 

Wen Zientek-Sico Wen

Writer, Recipe Developer, Web Content Developer, and Web Designer.

http://RecipeCard.com/ http://www.PerfectEntertaining.com/

http://www.HolidayCrafter.com/ http://www.RegionalRecipes.com/

[Guest guest]

Wow! Who would have thought! Loved your website, the graphics are really

beautiful!