Is well boiled syrup OK?

[buzzerB]

I try just to heat syrup enought to get rid of crystallised but the other day I forgot it for about 20 minutes [moderate boil] and it had reduced but not changed colour other than being more concentrated - certainly not burnt.

Does anyone know if it is still safe to feed to my bees?

I put it in ice cream tubs before it set and it is rather like a course candy;
slightly off white except where on top the crystals are white.

I can't multi-task!

Suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[madasafish]

I have boiled sugar l;ik that and fed it to bees OK.
If unsure, give them a little only and see what ill effects (if any) there are. At worst you will kill a few

 

[DrNick]

Last week I left some syrup to stand on the cold floor and when I poured half of it in to a feeder it was very thin and the bees took it down in no time, I should have stirred it as the rest was really thick and the next day I fed them that and it took them a lot longer to take down, it doesn't look to have done them any harm but it is a much slower process, it looks as though it is more difficult for them to deal with if it is too thick, which would make sense to be honest.

 

[peteinwilts]

I am sure one of the more scientific bods on here will give more details.

I have read boiling sugar can make the syrup partialy caramalise making it difficult to digest, and possibly causes it to be toxic (?)

What the difference is between boiling and simmerering to make fondent, I have no idea.

There was a news story a couple of years ago that the Americans were killing their bees by boiling corn syrup...

.... i don't believe everything I read in the press, but I personally would not take the chance.

 

[DrNick]

To make fondant you need to have the sugar and water mix just right and get it to
116-117 degrees C then put the pan in cold water and keep stirring until it turns white and sets. There is a thread on here somewhere that gives this in more detail (I have probably missed out some important part or got it slightly wrong).

 

[drstitson]

"I try just to heat syrup enought to get rid of crystallised but the other day I forgot it for about 20 minutes [moderate boil]"

just adding boiling water to sugar is usually all you need to do and avoids the risk of forgetting the pan.

 

[zubzub]

Dr Stitson I run my hot tap and add the desired amount of water from tap to desired amount of white sugar and stir after 10 mins all is dissolved and clear.
No cooker and no pan to forget.

ZZ

 

[Frisbee]

I try just to heat syrup enought to get rid of crystallised but the other day I forgot it for about 20 minutes [moderate boil] and it had reduced but not changed colour other than being more concentrated - certainly not burnt.

Does anyone know if it is still safe to feed to my bees?

I put it in ice cream tubs before it set and it is rather like a course candy;
slightly off white except where on top the crystals are white.

I can't multi-task!

Suggestions would be appreciated.

All you have done is reduced the water content more than you wished to.

Add more water, re-heat carefully till it has dissolved. Cool on the stove. If it still sets add more water, if it stays as syrup then you are where you wanted to be.

How much water/sugar did you start off with? In order for a sugar mix to set like cany the majority of water has boiled away leaving you only liquid sugar. This will give you a rough idea how much water you need to put back in.

Frisbee

 

[WaxManSmokerBoy]

I make my syrup in the bath, well the buckets in the bath and use hot water from the tap. It's supposed to stop spills on the carpet, but topping up an unstable 2 litre bottle with a funnel in the top and trying to stop it toppling whilst also holding the almost full bucket of syrup is good for - crystallised bathroom carpet. SWMBC (convinced) must have noted something not quite right about the carpet but didn't sus that it had slurped up half a litre of spilled 2:1 syrup . . .

Just thought that you might appreciate that.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Boiling sugar syrup can raise the HMF,which is toxic to bees.

 

[peteinwilts]

i bought one of those electric jam makers from Lidl that was buzzing on the forum in spring\summer (or was that last year!?!)

I think I might try doing sugar syrup in it. it is still in the box, but is meant to be good for 27 litres, and has a handy tap at the bottom for pouring it into transportable containers.

 

[drstitson]

december last actually.

mine has been put to good use sterilsing jars, bottles etc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That long ago?
Mines still in the bee store......
I sterilise my jars in the oven for 15 mins at 125˚C I hope that's enough

 

[itma]

i bought one of those electric jam makers from Lidl that was buzzing on the forum in spring\summer (or was that last year!?!)

I think I might try doing sugar syrup in it. it is still in the box, but is meant to be good for 27 litres, and has a handy tap at the bottom for pouring it into transportable containers.

I have one and use it happily (with an external micro PID controller) for sous vide cooking.

But I'd hesitate to make syrup in it. I'm thinking about things like washing out the tap ... actually, washing out that size of electric thing is about the only awkward aspect. And I'm not too sure how the enamel lining would resist scratching from stirring to dissolve the sugar.

BUT, it'd be great for giving you a supply of lots of really hot water for making up syrup.



Just a BTW, when you first heat the thing, some paint (or somesuch) burns off the heating element. There is smoke and a smell.
DON'T PANIC ("friendly red letters")
Do the first boil outside, or at least by an open window - not under the smoke alarm!

 

[SixFooter]

I have read boiling sugar can make the syrup partialy caramalise making it difficult to digest, and possibly causes it to be toxic (?)

Is this true?
I burnt some sugar in my burco bolier - didnt stir it quickly enough. The resulting solution is a redish colour. Should I through it away ( 15 KG of Sugar btw)

 

[Hivemaker.]

Is this true?
I burnt some sugar in my burco bolier - didnt stir it quickly enough. The resulting solution is a redish colour. Should I through it away ( 15 KG of Sugar btw)

Yes,as i mentioned in post 10.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

i bought one of those electric jam makers from Lidl that was buzzing on the forum in spring\summer (or was that last year!?!)

I think I might try doing sugar syrup in it. it is still in the box, but is meant to be good for 27 litres, and has a handy tap at the bottom for pouring it into transportable containers.

I've used it as a honey warmer a few times now, very pleased (thanks doc).

May not be a bad tool for the syrup either, good idea - not recommended for wax though - at least not without being more careful than I was Actually that reminds me it will need more cleaning work done before I could contemplate using it for syrup.

Apologies for continuing thread hijack

 

[BBG]

Boiling sugar syrup can raise the HMF,which is toxic to bees.

Which was my point ref 'home-made' variability and manufacturer produced in previous post.

Madasafish, saying "At worst you will kill a few " when that can be avoided by throwing away the bungled cheap as chips sugar solution thus avoiding possible suffering, is a poor attitude to the responsibility we all have to our bees.

Would this be done if bees were £50 each, I think not.

Life's cheap.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Which was my point ref 'home-made' variability and manufacturer produced in previous post.

In this instance about the sugar you are correct,if people don't have the intelligence to make sugar syrup,then they should buy it in, as you do yourself.
But do you believe this applies to every product which is manufactured in a factory or by some big company, being far supperior to anything and everything which can be produced at home?

 

[BBG]

In this instance about the sugar you are correct,if people don't have the intelligence to make sugar syrup,then they should buy it in, as you do yourself.
But do you believe this applies to every product which is manufactured in a factory or by some big company, being far supperior to anything and everything which can be produced at home?

This instance is all I was talking about, applying what I said to all products was not my doing nor what I believe.

Intelligence has little to do with it - people make a mess of things for what ever reason and here we have the evidence - more may come forward with honest admissions.

I do buy in Ambrosia, a superior product - the same as you buy in fondant, neither is for the reason we can't make our own sugar syrup responsibly - I hope!

Looks like the fondant confession booth thread is now open too. Revitalising old ...