Maple Syrup Monitoring Program

Overview

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) administers an annual Maple Syrup Monitoring Program. The program assesses Ontario maple syrup to make sure it meets the requirements in Ontario Regulation 119/11 - Produce, Honey and Maple Products (O. Reg. 119/11) under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 (FSQA).

If you pack, label, transport or sell maple syrup in Ontario and do not have a federal licence for that activity, you must follow this regulation. Some exceptions apply.

About the process

Sample collection

Food safety inspectors from OMAFA collect maple syrup samples under the FSQA. Inspectors have the authority to collect samples at the owner’s expense.

Samples are randomly collected from across the province with a focus on new or previously untested maple producers. Collection points include:

• retail stores
• roadside stands
• farmers' markets
• farm gate

Samples are tested at the University of Guelph’s Agriculture and Food Laboratory.

Container and label review

After collecting a maple syrup sample, an OMAFA inspector reviews the sample’s label and container to check their compliance with the regulation.

Retail containers of 125 milliliters or less have fewer labelling requirements than containers greater than 125 milliliters. Inspectors take the container size into consideration when determining the label’s compliance.

Lead analysis

All samples are tested for the presence of lead.

The regulation prohibits the sale, transportation or packaging of maple syrup that is contaminated. All utensils, containers and equipment used in the production and storage of maple syrup must be made of food-grade material. Lead levels above 0.15 parts per million (ppm) indicate that there is likely a source of lead in the production or storage equipment and that this equipment does not meet regulatory requirements.

Lead levels above Health Canada's tolerance level of 0.5 ppm indicate a potential food safety risk. When these levels are detected, the ministry takes immediate compliance action.

Receiving results

Producers receive results by letter or email.

Compliance action

If requirements under the regulation are not met, OMAFA follows progressive compliance protocols and works with the person responsible for the maple syrup to bring the product into compliance.

For minor labelling or container issues, the first step is usually education and technical assistance. If practices are not adjusted to meet regulatory requirements, the ministry may take additional action such as:

• verbal or written warnings
• compliance orders
• product detention
• seizure
• fines/tickets under the Provincial Offences Act

When lead levels above 0.15 ppm are detected, a ministry inspector notifies the producer and arranges follow-up activities to help identify the source(s) of the lead. The inspector works with the producer to ensure lead source(s) are removed.

Lead levels above 0.5 ppm are considered a potential food safety risk and the ministry immediately notifies the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Compliance action for potential food safety risks could include:

• collection of additional samples
• compliance orders
• product detention or disposal
• recall by the CFIA

For more information about the requirements for maple syrup in Ontario, refer to Regulatory requirements for maple products in Ontario.

Program results

The following tables provide the results from the Maple Syrup Monitoring Program from 2021 to 2025.

The results are not statistically viable and cannot be used to generalize the state of the maple syrup industry.

Label review

Lead analysis

Contact us

For more information about the Maple Syrup Monitoring Program, please email the Inspection Programs Unit at fpo.omafra@ontario.ca or call 1-877-424-1300.