Is maple syrup processed with lard?
1) Maple syrup can be treated with a very small amount of animal fat, butter, or cream to reduce foaming. Most modern producers use synthetic compounds in order to reduce foaming during production. It is typically vegan. Spring Tree, Maple Groves, and Holsum Foods all report that their maple syrups do not use an animal-derived defoaming agent.
2) At one time, maple syrup producers routinely added a small amount of lard, an animal fat, during processing to minimize foaming. In recent years, this practice has been eliminated by nearly all maple syrup companies. Instead, a small quantity of vegetable oil is typically used. If you have a concern and want to verify how your maple syrup was made, contact the producer directly3) Maple syrup is another sweetener which may sometimes be a concern. The process of making maple syrup requires an agent to reduce the foam on the syrup by adding a small amount of fat to the liquid.
The traditional process of reducing the foam in maple syrup has included the use of lard. Previously, local producers would hang pork fat over a tub of maple syrup and let drops of fat drip into the syrup. Others used milk, cream or butter. If animal products are used in the form of lard or milk, the amount is minute. For example, eight to ten gallons of syrup will involve a quarter of a teaspoon of cream or a pea-sized drop of butter.
ALSO
Vegetable oil is a common defoaming agent. It can be applied to the end of a wooden stick and dipped into the foaming part of the maple syrup. Most manufacturers of maple syrup now use vegetable oil or synthetic defoamers instead of lard.
These are excerpt from various articles to make the general consumer understand the need for investigating (generally all products but in this case) maple syrup before comsumption. The good news as some of the articles on the internet state that the general practice has changed from predominantly animal fat being used to vegetable Oil being used. Nonetheless there still is a possibility the Maple Syrup you are using Might be conatining Lard so therefore its best to check this out.