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L’utilisation de la sève de
bouleau en Europe de l’Est:
traditions et nouvelles
perspectives
Ihor Soloviy
Professeur
Université nationale de foresterie
Ukraine
USE OF BIRCH SAP IN THE EASTERN EUROPE: heritage of traditions and perspectives for industry
development
Ihor SOLOVIY
Ukrainian National Forestry University, Lviv, Ukraine
Distribution of birch in Europe
Birch (Betula spp.; UA/RU: bereza; береза)
• European white birch
(B.verrucosa), which reaches a height of 25–28 m and grows separately or mixed with other species;
• Pilose or Swamp birch
(B. pubescens), which reaches 20 m
grows in wet, swampy areas.
Birch wood products
• pulp & paper
• solid wood products
• veneer, plywood and sheetgoods
• furniture
• turnery items
• “Karelian” birch
• shingles
“Karelian” birch burl
• Fig
High-valued figured or decorative birch found in the northern part of the European birch range Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic countries and the Polissya region of Ukraine and Belarus
Bast shoes – (Личаки – Ukr.)
• Footware -- wooven from the bark of trees including birch and other species; widespread in Russia, Belarus and the Polissya region of Ukraine
• Raw materials — willow reeds, basswood, elm and the outer bark of birch
Non-timber products
• The twigs are used for brooms,
• the bark is used in tanning and making birch oil and tar.
• Birch charcoal is made into black powder and filters for the paint industry.
• Birch sap is consumed as a beverage
• Tea made of birch leaves, buds, and sap is used in folk medicine as a cure for stomach ailments and rheumatism.
Use of birch sap in early times
• Birch sap has traditionally been a source of nutrients in
the spring in the boreal and hemiboreal regions as a fresh drink, but also as an ingredient in food and beverages
• The famous Arab traveller Ahmad ibn Fadlān observed as early as 921 that the Turkish-speaking Bolgars along the Volga River used fermented birch sap.
• The German scholar Conrad of Megenberg (14th century) mentions its use as a refreshing drink.
Svanberg et al 2012
Historical notes
• German physician Hieronomys Bock describes, in his “Kreuterbuch” (1551), birch sap medicinal use.
• Italian botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli praised its medicinal properties in 1561. According to him it could be used for treating stones in the kidney and the bladder, but also to cure ulcers
• in 1631 in Tartu (Estonia) ,the physician Johannes Raicus praised birch sap and suggested its use in medicine, comparing its healing properties with those of mineral water.
Svanberg et al 2012
Tapping birch sap in Golditz, near Leipzig, 1986, East Germany, Photo Wolfgang Fluge
Collecting birch sap in the early 1990s, Tartu county, Estonia,, Photo Lembit Michelson
Traditional medicine
Birch water recommended as
- a tonic and diuretic drink,
- for a variety of respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis; kidney stones and gall bladder, gout, rheumatism, swellings, non-healing wounds and ulcers.
• It is used topically for eczema and skin herpes, with acne and dark spots.
Medicinal use of birch sap in East European countries
Belarus lung diseases, gout
Czech Republic poor health, infertility
Estonia (prevention of) eye diseases, skin diseases, source for vitamins
Hungary appetizer, stomach and lung diseases
Lithuania “revitialization”
Poland “revitalization”, kidney stones
Romania kidney stones, jaundice, as milk-rennet, scab, diuretic,
conjunctivitis cold, pneumonia, constipation, struma,wounds,
headache, weakness in children
Russia externally against sores, to help children during teething,
to improve health
Sweden scurvy, cholera
Ukraine treating skin diseases (internal, external), source of
vitamins (especially for children)
United Kingdom tonic, rheumatism, first nourishment for new-born children
Svanberg et al 2012
Birch sap components
• natural sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose);
• potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), aluminium (Al) and other healthful microelements;
• over 10 organic acids;
• essential oils and phytoncides;
• saponins, A, B, C vitamins;
• biological active substances.
Birch sap as component of drugs and cosmetics
Cosmetologists recommend
• Cosmetologist recommend to wash face with birch sap for the improvement of the skin, even in the absence of disease.
• Birch water can be stored for a long time in the form of birch ice .
• For this purpose it should be frozen in tins and used as cosmetic ice
Proceedings of the Conference “Tapping and processing of
deciduous tree sap”
(Lviv Forest Technical
Institute, 1977)
In addition to the traditional tapping of the bole of birch trees, a technology for the tapping of birch stumps was proposed at that time.
Sociological study among the foresters in Ukraine
• 90% of respondents drink birch sap
• 63% - prefer natural birch water and beverages prepared on its basis over other drinks; • One respondent consumes an average of 8 liters of birch sap per year; • over 30% of respondents in age 20 to 25 years are not aware about health benefits of birch sap; • Among the factors that reduce consumption of birch sap imperfect technology and inconvenient packaging often mentioned)
(Dudyuk, 2001)
Practical Recommendations of Birch Tapping and Sap Harvest
• Birch sap is collected from birch trunks in the early spring.
• Tap place at diameter breast height (various tapping instruments)
• The exact time for tapping depends on weather conditions - usually in the middle of March. At that time, birch sap moves intensively in the trunk (referred to as: “birch tears or weeping”).
• This period lasts for about 15-20 days, and the sap collected within this period of time is not only sweet, but also useful.
• The best time of the day to collect the sap is between noon and 6 p.m., when it runs mist intensively.
Month when birch sap collected
• In Belarusian, March is called “сакавiк” [sakavik] - “month of sap”
• In Ukrainian the month of March is known as “березень” [berezen'] – “the month of birches”.
• In Czech Republic the month of March is called in Czech “březen” – “the month of birches”.
Birch tapping yield
• Birch stands are managed for wood and tapped 5-10 years before end of the rotation
• Daily tree yield approx: 5-6 liters
• Seasonal tree yield approx: 100-130 liters
• Seasonal yield of the one ha of forest stand: 20-30 tones
Silvicultural Demands of Birch Stands
• The age of stand no younger than 50 years
• The same plot used no longer than 10 years
Stepwise process of sap collection
1. Tapping & Collection (birch sap is collected directly into glass or plastic containers in the forest)
2. Filtration
3. Collection/Gathering for delivery & processing
4. Transport & Storage
5. Processing
6. Quality Control
7. Distribution to wholesale and retail outlets
One: Tapping & collection
Two: Filtration
Three: Collection for delivery & processing
Gathering is Still Done using Manpower
Four: Tansport & storage
• Birch sap can be stored not more that 24 hours (at temperature of 0oC +5oC) from the moment it is collected till being processed.
• Sap collected during the night is delivered from forest to the plant in the morning and that collected and delivered immediately during the same day.
Five: Processing
• The processing of sap is as follows:
- citric acid is added (natural antioxidant and preserving compound letting sap to be stored during a year),
- sap is sterilized and cooled,
- bottled in specially prepared containers
Six: Quality control
• Before being preserved, every container of the primary product coming from forests is tested in laboratory to meet the set quality standards.
• Cloudy sap or having unusual smell means the fermentation process has started. Such product unacceptable by the laboratory and disposed of.
Distribution to wholesale and retail outlets
• Pure birch sap part make ups 95-98% of the final product makes up to depending on part of other natural components concentration, such as rose hips extract, mint extract, apple, cherry or lemon juices, citric acid, sugar, etc.
Birch sap popularity in Poland
30plus Beauty blog
Spiritual aspects
Birch sap production in Poland
Component of “Health Factory”
complex
Zestaw „Oczyszczenie organizmu" - Sok z brzozy 3 l, Colosan EX z probiotykami 240 g
Line of birch products - “recommended by expert”
Sweden
Björksavsvinäger
Traditional Scandinavian milk product- now with birch sap taste
New close to nature generation in Estonia
…..and Denmark
Varieties of birch sap produced by forestry enterprises factories
Price-list of the birch saps produced by Manevychi Forestry Enterprise
№ п/п
Name of Product Litters/bottle Price/unit (/$)
1 Birch sap with sugar (beet sugar0 3 1,5
2 Birch sap with rose hip infusion 3 1,57
3 Birch sap with blueberry juice 3 1,68
4 “Podilla” birch sap with dried
fruit infusion 3 -
5 Birch sap with lemon 3 1,67
6 Apple-birch sap 3 1,6
Glass containers traditionally are the most popular for birch sap
Advantages of the glass containers – I (as advertised by companies birch sap producers)
• Chemical stability and neutrality of glass ensure preserving of food products without considerable changes.
• Glass does not evolve any harmful substances, has no odour, can be easily washed and disinfected;
• Transparency allows customers literally to look inside
Advantages of the glass containers- II
• Firmness and steadiness allow pouring, sealing and, in some cases, vacuuming;
• Heat-resistance (up to 500oC) allows sterilizing during packaging without artificial preservatives being added;
• Reusable which allows not only to save money but the environment as well. Glass is 100% recyclable.
Certification - Gals Ltd as a case
• Integrated quality and food safety management system in compliance with international Standards ISO 22000 and ISOTS 22000-2 (certification scheme FSSC 22000).
• Organic Standard - the leader of organic certification in Ukraine; officially listed as a certification authority recognized in the European Union and Switzerland
Branding
• Glybkon TM is the most popular brand of birch sap in Ukraine. All juices are made of natural birch sap and are supplemented with natural fruit extracts, thus possess numerous valuable properties.
• under Spring Drops TM organic birch saps are sold in Ukraine and other European countries (Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and some others)
Gals Ltd birch sap sold under other brands
• Povna Chasha TM (supermarket chains ‘Silpo’, ‘Fora’, ‘Fozzy’ – Ukraine)
• Premia TM (supermarket chains ‘Silpo’, ‘Fora’, ‘Fozzy’– Ukraine)
• Po-nashomu TM (‘Karavan’ hypermarket chain – Ukraine) • Easy&Good TM (‘Karavan’ hypermarket chain – Ukraine) • Chumak TM (JSC ‘Chumak’ – Ukraine) • Arax TM (Fooodish s.r.o. – Czech Republic) • Oleofarm TM (Oleofarm Sp.z.o.o – Poland) • Sapwood TM (Sapwood GmbH – Germany) • Birchsap TM (4Saisons DPN – France) • Vali TM (TD Vali s.r.o. –Hungary)
Alcohol-based birch sap beverages
Mead: “The Nectar of Longevity” - A popular drink based on naturally fermented birch water and honey
Horilka (vodka) infused with birch catkins
Birch sap and birch sap based
beverages often served in a
network of stores near state forests
and forest enterprises
Recent Trends
Roadside to on-line sales
Commercials
Where its hot & steamy, “Glybkon” satisfies your thirst…
Commercial for birch sap
Birch sap festivals
Causes for decline of birch sap production
• Decline of traditional land use and agrarian communities
• Chernobyl disaster influence on some forest areas and perceptions of consumers
• Rise of “soft drinks” after collapse of Soviet Union and modernization of Ukraine and former Soviet Union (FSU) countries
• Availability of “birch sap” soda
• Substitution by other drinks
Challenges
• Silvical properties of birch and propensity to damage from tapping
• Production and marketing • Modern processing and quality control • Lack of organic certification • Black market substitution • Relative low value material • Lack of investment in value-added processing • New technologies for collection, transport and storage • Substitution and competition from soft drinks industry • Old fashioned
Opportunities
• Nostalgia
• Support for traditional lifestyles and communities
• Supplemental income for forest communities
• Income for state forest enterprises
• Trend toward organic certification and “natural” products
• New generation of entrepreneurs
• Nascent back-to-land movement amongst youth
