Traditional Jam vs. Fruit Spread: Is Sugar the Enemy of Flavor?

To sell a jam in Canada, it must contain a minimum of 66% sugar (*). That’s a lot! The terms “Marmalade” and “jelly” are also protected, with minimum sugar content requirements of 65% and 62%, respectively. Europe has less stringent requirements, with a minimum of 60% sugar, and France even less, at 55%. To meet Canadian requirements, jams must contain a minimum of 12–13 grams of sugar per 1 tablespoon (15 ml).
This is a modern irony, as governments reserve these well-known terms for products that are too sweet and unhealthy, forcing producers of higher-quality products to use the less marketable terms “fruit preparation” or “spread,” as Punch does.
Originally, the high sugar content was necessary for preservation. In large quantities, sugar draws water through osmosis, making it unavailable to microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast, which cannot grow. Jams could remain safe at room temperature—an undeniable advantage before refrigerators became widespread. By using the simple, traditional recipe of half fruit, half sugar, and cooking long enough to evaporate the water, you get a product that keeps for a very long time. But at the expense of taste!
In the 19th century, industrial fraud became widespread, and some unscrupulous producers made jams using water, food coloring, and turnips to thicken them. This was done to replace more expensive ingredients like fruit and sugar. As a result, lawmakers passed legislation mandating minimum amounts of fruit and sugar. The goal of regulating the amount of sugar was less about ensuring its presence than preventing the inclusion of other, less desirable ingredients.
Today, sugar is much cheaper than it was in the 19th century, and it is cost-effective to use it as a substitute for fruit. This is somewhat similar to what unscrupulous manufacturers used to do.
Fortunately, with sterile manufacturing processes and pectins adapted to lower sugar percentages, it is now possible to produce spreads with superior properties to those of jams. That’s exactly what Tartinades Punch does. What’s more, we cook the fruit just enough to destroy pathogens while preserving the vibrant flavor of fresh fruit.
Most Punch spreads have a sugar content between 40 and 46%, a range we’ve carefully chosen to achieve the distinctive “Punch flavor”:

Wild Blueberry and Pomegranate : 40% or 6 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Strawberry and Passion Fruit : 43% or 7 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Raspberry and Blood Orange : 42% or 6 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Strawberry and Candied Rhubarb : 41% or 6 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Lime-Pear-Basil : 46% or 8 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Based on our experience, we have determined that a 40% threshold gives these spreads a shelf life of a few months in the refrigerator. We recently created three spreads for those who would like to lower the sugar intake even more in their diet :

Ground Cherry and Orange : 35% or 4 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Mango and Orange : 34% or 5 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

Haskap Berry and Grape : 36% or 5 grams of sugar per serving of 15 ml

These healthier products will last a few weeks in a fridge once opened. The mango-orange spread, with a sugar content of 34% as measured by a refractometer, contains 48% less sugar than jam: (66–34)/66 = 48%
Since 2026, products such as jams with a sugar content of 10 g or more per 15-ml serving must display on their front label the Health Canada high-sugar warning label because these contain too much sugar. Here is the perfect illustration of this modern irony: the same agency enacts laws with diametrically opposed objectives.
None of the Punch Spreads products must show this warning. For this we are very proud.
(*) The requirements define soluble dry matter, which consists of the sugars naturally present in the fruit and any added sugars.