Maple producers in Maine’s northern neighbor are demanding that an alleged criminal syrup supplier be held accountable.
In court documents, Quebec Federation of Maple Syrup Producers say it’s convinced Steve Bourdeau intends to continue selling fake maple syrup.
Bourdeau has strongly denied diluting his syrup with cane sugar, despite claims by retail customers to the contrary.
Radio-Canada’s Enquête program first broke the story April 2 that five cans of Bourdeau’s syrup for sale on grocery store shelves in Quebec and Ontario were tested and found to have been cut with more than 50 percent cane sugar, despite being labeled “pure maple syrup.”
A radio reporter who had bought a can of the syrup thought it tasted weird so he followed his hunch and took it to a food lab for testing.
Most grocery stores have since pulled Bourdeau’s products from shelves and offered refunds, according to program reporter Gaétan Pouliot.
In its legal filing, the federation calls Bourdeau a “notorious and repeat offender” who it claims is still intent on selling allegedly counterfeit syrup.
The federation wants government regulators to confiscate all his syrup.
Bourdeau hasn’t responded yet to the allegations contained in the court documents, Pouliot reports.
When responding to Enquête’s initial report on the fake syrup, Bourdeau suggested it might have come from one of his suppliers.
Canada is the world’s largest producer of maple syrup so the potential loss from the scandal of its storied reputation could be monumental.
