STRP

Montana State University

Biofilm Sensor System in Maple Syrup Production

Lead: Stephan Warnat

Partner: None, more partners anticipated if additional project phases are funded in future.

Keywords: Biofilms, maple syrup, biofilm sensor, quality assurance

Amount: $33551

Intellectual Property Status: Invention disclosure

Award Date: 01/01/2025

End Date: 06/30/2025

ABSTRACT

The maple syrup industry is evolving with increased use of efficient equipment, yet quality control systems are limited for managing microbial growth and biofilms in sap storage and transport. Biofilms degrade syrup quality, reducing market value. This project proposes a novel biofilm sensor system to detect and control biofilm formation in maple syrup production facilities. The team is currently funded to accomplish customer discovery and assess the market opportunity of the maple syrup v. other markets.