In order to extract sap from a maple tree, it must be around 30 to 40 years old.
Depending on the diameter of the trunk, from one to three holes are drilled in it and taps are placed in them. The tree is used to obtain sap until it is over 100 years old.
Dr. Navindra P. Seeram, an American professor who studies medicinal plants and their natural derivatives, said: “I continue to say that nature is the best chemist, and that maple syrup is becoming a champion food when it comes to the number and variety of beneficial compounds found in it.”
He added that his team's research showed the presence of numerous antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds to fight cancer, diabetes, and bacterial diseases.
Scientists are working on a use for tea mushrooms other than making kombucha.
Through the efficient production of cellulose, they are developing a method to create food packaging and clothing materials (artificial leather and other textiles) from the “mushroom.”