Talk:Golden syrup

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I am under the assumption that there are more companies making sugar in the UK than the two mentioned, especially because a third one was listed as existing in Ireland. Because of this I changed the statement "The other sugar company" to "Another sugar company". If I'm mistaken and there really are only two companies in the entire country, please change it and leave me a note on my talk page.

Liastnir 15:22, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

I'm sorry? You're under the impression there are more than two companies making sugar in the UK because one was listed as existing in a neighbouring country? According to DEFRA (who should know) there are two manufacturers of sugar in the UK [1]. So I believe you are mistaken. Average Earthman 14:35, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

The section on Germany is inaccurate. Zuckerrübensirup, also called Rübenkraut, is not the same as golden syrup for the simple reason that it is dark brown in colour. It also tastes quite different. 88.107.209.183 22:59, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I agree - they are very different. Zuckerrübensirup is darker, made of sugar beet, and has a very different taste. Saluton 00:56, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Zuckerrübensirup is made by simply boiling down the juice of sugar beets. It has no connection to Golden Syrup and I've never seen the alleged lighter, "golden" variety, only the dark one. The company Grafschafter also produces a lighter syrup which is however not Zuckerrübensirup but a mix of golden syrup and corn syrup, with some added caramel flavour. All in all I think sugar beet syrup belongs in a separate article. -- 77.184.164.37 (talk) 20:32, 18 May 2013 (UTC)

Nutritional value

Any chance on getting nutritional information on this item? I know there's a whole lot of debate on the detrimental effects of corn syrup in popular foods, and there's a comparison between golden and corn syrup drawn in the article. I expected to see a similar pro/con golden syrup debate on this page. --Wikid00d (talk) 07:02, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

I'd imagine it's hideously bad for you, but tastes great on toast (with butter of-course).. umm *licks lips*, not sure it's a normal use of it, but definitely handed down from my parents (but when they grew up sugar sandwiches were on the menu). [southern uk] --SHayter (talk) 01:32, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Try the Sugar Research Advisory Service. Kauri Gumdigger (talk) 07:43, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

Relationship to treacle and molasses

What is the relationship of golden syrup to molasses? Badagnani 00:38, 8 March 2007 (UTC)

And I don't think we refer to Golden Syrup in the UK as treacle. Treacle is Black Treacle, also produced by Tate and Lyle in a similar tin but in red. The only strange thing we do that I don't understand is we call the golden syrup-containing puddings "Treacle Tart" and "Treacle Sponge". If anyone knows why this happened it would be an interesting addition to the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.189.115.157 (talk) 21:10, 7 February 2008 (UTC)

Sorry - By default, I call golden syrup 'treacle', and I'm English. So treacle sponge pudding poses me no questions. Perhaps there is a geographic distribution across the country [as with many other things]. Cheers.84.64.248.97 (talk) 15:16, 7 September 2008 (UTC)

Treacle is the British generic name for any syrup made during the refining of sugar cane. The Oxford Dictionary definition is "Uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar" and their definition of golden syrup is "A pale treacle". So it is perfectly correct to refer to golden syrup as treacle. Therefore, as the previous comment says, it is no problem that treacle sponge is made with golden syrup because that is treacle! (Bloglines (talk) 20:21, 28 May 2009 (UTC))

substitute for corn syrup?

As in most of the world Golden syrup is common and corn syrup is unheard of, then surely corn syrup is a substitute for golden syrup, not the other way around. Unless of course only america counts

Confirmed. Only America counts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.182.24.195 (talk) 00:57, 30 July 2010 (UTC)

Could we say something like "Its culinary uses are interchangeable with corn syrup"? I know they taste different, but don't they function the same way in recipes?Sailorknightwing (talk) 21:18, 19 January 2012 (UTC)

As golden syrup tastes different from corn syrup, it is not a 1:1 substitute. The two are similar in that they don't crystallize. If that's the only function that's important, then I guess they're 'the same', but usually taste holds a higher place in assessing similar foods. (User talk:jfb1138) 05:06 09 February 2012 (UTC)

They're both non-crystallizing, sweetening syrups that remain structurally similar in cooking. As long as a note is made that they don't taste the same, I don't see why it shouldn't be noted that they can be used interchangeably. Substitutions in cooking are standard. Your honeycomb candy isn't going to burst into flames if you use corn syrup instead of golden syrup. Sailorknightwing (talk) 19:38, 25 July 2012 (UTC)

I was going to add this too. It isn't a substitute for corn syrup if that was the thing that was initially going to be used. And for most brits, they are more likely to know/chose golden syrup over corn syrup 87.115.134.241 (talk) 23:34, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

History of Golden syrup

The following article appeared in the Chemist and Druggist In reading the article it can been seen that the term Golden Syrup was first known around 1840 a definition formed by Robert Andrew Macfie sugar refiner - this term Golden Syrup was used well before the so called discovery of the firm of Tate & Lyle in the 1880's

It was canned by the Macfie sugar refinery in Liverpool in green cans, and labeled Macfie's Finest Golden Syrup written in a light golden color. 207.34.54.68 (talk) 02:23, 3 September 2015 (UTC) Robert Douglas Macfie , Calgary Alberta Canada, Sept 2 2015

Chemist and Druggist, the leading trade journal for the pharmacy community in the UK, has been in continuous publication since 1859.

THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST

Mauch 24, 1900

glucose-syrup and treacle as " golden syrup," but a pharma- ceutical aspect has been given to the matter in an appeal- case heard by the Liverpool Recorder last week. The appeal was against a conviction by the Stipendiary Magistrate of a etailer who sold a 2-lb. tin of syrup labelled "Golden ' .Syrup," with a wrapper bearing the words " Superfine Golden Syrup." The City Analyst and the Somerset House chemists agreed that it contained over 70 per cent, of glucose-syrup The syrup had been manufactured by Messrs. Macfie & Sons- of Liverpool, and two members of that firm appeared ; s witnesses for the appellant. The witnesses for the prosecution were Mr. W. C. Williams, one of the public analysts for Liverpool, and Mr. Siegmund Stein, a sugar-expert. Mr. Stein, in the course of his evidence, remarked that the practice of mixing glucose-syrup with treacle came from America, and he was asked by Mr. Scott (for the appellant) :

What is the definition of treacle in the British Pharma- copoeia '?

Witness : 1 have studied the definitions in the various Pharmacopoeias, and find that they do not correspond with the fact. (Laughter.)

Mr. Soott: Is the definition of treacle in the British Pharmacopoeia exactly the same as your definition of golden syrup — the uncrystallised residue of the refiniDg of cane-sugar ?

The Recorder : But the golden syrup itself is refined by filtration.

Witness : Exactly. He then proceeded to say that when the centrifugal system of manufacture came into use, between 1850 and 1860, the words " golden syrup " came to be used as meaning the lighter forms of treacle.

This witness's evidence and that of Mr. Scott Macfie and Colonel William Macfie, C.B., brought out some little known points regarding the origin of golden syrup, which we think are of interest to dispensers. It appears that the term ' golden syrup" was invented in 1840 by the grandfather of Mr. Scott Macfie. At that time there was no syrup on the market but what was made from treacle-syrup, which was prepared with exceptional care, the black colour and much of the alkaline salts being removed by filtration. The intro- duction of the centrifugal process of freeing crystallised sugar from the amorphous treacle yielded a syrup which was found to grain — that is, to crystallise ; consequently, manufacturers were glad to avail themselves of the glucose- syrup idea, as an addition of 20 per cent, of that syrup suffices to prevent the objectionable graining. The public appear to have relished the change, and gradually the quan- tity of glucose-syrup added increased, until five years ago practically all the pale golden syrups in the market con- tained from 40 to 80 per cent, of the glucose product, and two years ago, when the prosecutions began, two-thirds of the golden syrup sold was of the pale kind and one-third the dark. One great advantage of the glucose stuff from the manufacturer's point of view is that it enables him to use up the dark treacle with comparatively little trouble— in fait, the treacle has been used in many cases as a colouring f ir the colourless glucose-syrup. Counsel for the appellant made the most of the 1885 Pharmacopoeia error— if error it can be called — in giving the description of "golden syrup" to the article thcriaca or " treacle." Presumably, the Phar- macopoeia authorities in removing that substance from the Pharmacopoeia were aware that the golden syrup on the market was a mixture of treacle and glucose-syrup, and, very properly, they have permitted syrup of glucose to take its place. Treacle is still a commercial article, but now- adays it contains enormously-enhanced proportions of potash-salts owing to so much beet being used in sugar- making. These potash-salts include carbonate, and that is one reason why treacle is so good a pill-excipient.