The late 20th century saw significant technological advancements, including vacuum pumps and plastic tubing, which made sap collection easier. The advent of reverse osmosis machines drastically reduced water content before boiling, and propane boilers replaced wood fires, leading to a 400% increase in production by the mid-90s.

Impact: High. These innovations transformed maple syrup production from a labor-intensive traditional practice into a more efficient, industrialized process, enabling global supply.

In the source video, this keypoint occurs from 00:23:14 to 00:25:34.

Sources in support: Josh (Host), Chuck (Host)