project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
Comparing on-site preservation techniques for fresh Welsh birch sap for use in artisan products by local businesses
Comparing on-site preservation techniques for fresh Welsh birch sap for use in artisan products by local businesses
Objectives
The key barrier for commercial birch sap production is that it is a highly perishable and only has a shelf life of 24 hours at 5ᵒC. It needs to be treated immediately after tapping to make it more stable for storage and transportation prior to off-site processing in commercial kitchens. Removing this barrier to market during harvesting would allow foresters and farmers to consider birch syrup as a viable diversification option.
Objectives
Y prif rwystr rhag cynhyrchu sudd bedw yn fasnachol yw’r ffaith ei fod yn dirywio’n gyflym iawn ac mae ganddo oes silff o 24 awr yn unig ar 5ᵒC. Mae angen ei drin yn syth ar ôl ei dapio o’r goeden i’w wneud yn fwy sefydlog ar gyfer ei storio a’i gludo cyn ei brosesu oddi ar y safle mewn ceginau masnachol. Byddai dileu’r rhwystr hwn yn y farchnad yn ystod y cyfnod cynaeafu yn galluogi coedwigwyr a ffermwyr i ystyried surop bedw fel dewis hyfyw wrth arallgyfeirio.
Activities
This project is taking place across four sites in Wales and will focus on three different production methods and will analyse which method is most effective at turning birch sap into a concentrate at different scales of production.
1) Outdoor wood stove: The sap is boiled down in evaporating pans to a sugar concentration of below 20%.
2) Reverse osmosis: The sap is pushed through a vacuum pumps and micro-porous osmosis filters which brings the sap down to around 15% sugar concentration.
3) Urn: An electric thermostatically controlled urn heats the syrup and reduced it to a sugar concentration of below 20%.
Activities
Mae’r prosiect hwn yn cael ei gynnal ar bedwar safle yng Nghymru a bydd yn canolbwyntio ar dri dull cynhyrchu gwahanol gan ddadansoddi pa ddull yw’r mwyaf effeithiol ar gyfer troi sudd bedw yn sudd crynodedig ar raddfeydd cynhyrchu gwahanol.
1) Stôf goed yn yr awyr agored: Mae’r sudd yn cael ei ferwi mewn padelli anweddu i greu hylif siwgr â chrynodiad is nag 20%.
2) Osmosis Gwrthdro: Mae’r sudd yn cael ei wthio drwy bympiau gwactod a hidlyddion osmosis micro-fandyllog sy’n troi’r sudd yn hylif siwgr â chrynodiad o tua 15%.
3) Wrn: Mae wrn trydan thermostatig yn cynhesu’r surop ac yn ei droi yn hylif siwgr â chrynodiad is nag 20%.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014UK06RDRP004 United Kingdom - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Wales
Ort
- Main geographical location
- Isle of Anglesey
- Other geographical location
- Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, Monmouthshire and Newport
EUR 47 000.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
1 Practice Abstracts
The Forestry Statistics for 2019 indicate that birch is the third most common broadleaf tree species in Wales covering an estimated 2,000 ha of the Welsh Government Forest Estate (NRW) and 11,000 ha of private woodland, much of which is on farms. Since these trees are not intended for timber, they are potentially available as a source of other (non-wood) products such as birch sap.
Birch sap contains a small amount of sugar and can be reduced into syrup, in a similar manner to maple syrup. In Alaska and Canada birch syrup production is very small scale and considered a gourmet product which can sell at up to five times the price of maple syrup. Some of this higher price is because birch sap has half the sugar content of maple sap so more sap is needed but it also has a different composition to maple syrup which gives it a unique flavour.
This trial will be the first in Wales to focus specifically on birch sap production and will hopefully provide guidance on the tapping of birch trees and immediate post-harvest sap preservation. It could also raise the awareness of others on non-timber income opportunities from woodlands.
Mae’r Ystadegau Coedwigaeth ar gyfer 2019 yn dangos mai’r fedwen yw’r rhywogaeth llydanddail fwyaf cyffredin yng Nghymru, gan gwmpasu tua 2,000 ha o Ystad Coedwigaeth Genedlaethol Llywodraeth Cymru (CNC) ac 11,000 ha o goetir preifat, y mae llawer ohono ar ffermydd. Gan nad yw’r coed hyn yn cael eu tyfu ar gyfer eu pren, maent yn ffynhonnell bosibl o fathau eraill o gynnyrch (ac eithrio pren), fel sudd bedw.
Mae sudd bedw yn cynnwys ychydig o siwgr y gellir ei droi’n surop, yn debyg i surop masarn. Yn Alaska a Chanada mae surop bedw yn cael ei gynhyrchu ar raddfa fach ac yn cael ei ystyried yn gynnyrch arbenigol sy’n gallu gwerthu am hyd at bum gwaith yn fwy na phris surop masarn. Mae’r pris uwch hwn yn rhannol oherwydd bod sudd bedw yn cynnwys hanner y siwgr sydd mewn sudd masarn felly mae angen mwy o sudd i’w gynhyrchu, ond mae ei gyfansoddiad hefyd yn wahanol i sudd masarn gan roi blas unigryw iddo.
Y treial hwn fydd y cyntaf yng Nghymru i ganolbwyntio’n benodol ar gynhyrchu sudd bedw a’r gobaith yw y bydd yn cynnig arweiniad ar ddulliau o dapio coed bedw a chadw’r sudd yn syth ar ôl ei gynaeafu. Gallai hefyd godi ymwybyddiaeth pobl am gyfleoedd incwm posibl o’r coetiroedd, heb fod yn seiliedig ar bren.
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
Geraint Hughes
Project coordinator