The purpose of this project was to evaluate the performance of various portable pH meters and pH paper strips used in maple syrup operations, in order to guide producers in selecting reliable equipment suited to field conditions. Five models of portable pH meters, one continuous measurement pH system, and four types of pH paper strips covering different pH ranges were compared in the laboratory using five types of samples representative of maple production activities: sap concentrate, syrup, wash water, acidic wash solution, and basic wash solution. Results showed that pH strips with a wider range of values generally exhibited substantial underestimation and large limits of agreement, whereas strips with narrower ranges provided better reliability but required multiple models to cover typical operational needs. The portable pH meters demonstrated overall adequate precision, with the HANNA HI98127 (calibrated at pH 4 and 7), the HANNA HI98108 (recent model), and the continuous pH measurement system (MEMProtect) performing the best. The study also confirmed that the temperature of calibration solutions, the time elapsed since calibration, and, to a lesser extent, the temperature of the samples can influence measurement accuracy. In two neutralization trials, the portable HANNA HI98108 meter and the Macherey-Nagel 92110 pH strips (pH range 0–14) showed very high reliability. The recommendations resulting from this project will help improve the accuracy and reliability of pH monitoring in maple operations, particularly in the context of wash water neutralization.
The project report is in French only.
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the performance of various portable pH meters and pH paper strips used in maple syrup operations, in order to guide producers in selecting reliable equipment suited to field conditions. Five models of portable pH meters, one continuous measurement pH system, and four types of pH paper strips covering different pH ranges were compared in the laboratory using five types of samples representative of maple production activities: sap concentrate, syrup, wash water, acidic wash solution, and basic wash solution. Results showed that pH strips with a wider range of values generally exhibited substantial underestimation and large limits of agreement, whereas strips with narrower ranges provided better reliability but required multiple models to cover typical operational needs. The portable pH meters demonstrated overall adequate precision, with the HANNA HI98127 (calibrated at pH 4 and 7), the HANNA HI98108 (recent model), and the continuous pH measurement system (MEMProtect) performing the best. The study also confirmed that the temperature of calibration solutions, the time elapsed since calibration, and, to a lesser extent, the temperature of the samples can influence measurement accuracy. In two neutralization trials, the portable HANNA HI98108 meter and the Macherey-Nagel 92110 pH strips (pH range 0–14) showed very high reliability. The recommendations resulting from this project will help improve the accuracy and reliability of pH monitoring in maple operations, particularly in the context of wash water neutralization.The project report is in French only.