BUTTER

Butter is the fat of cream that is separated – more or less – completely from the other milk
constituents by agitation or churning. The mechanical rupture of the protein film around the fat
globules allows the fat globules to clump together. Butter formation is an example of breaking of
an oil-in-water emulsion by agitation. The resulting emulsion that forms in butter itself is a
water-in-oil emulsion, with about 18% water being dispersed in 80% fat and a small amount of
protein acting as an emulsifier.
Butter is made from either sweet or sour cream. Butter from sour cream has a more pronounced
flavour. The cream may be allowed to sour naturally or may be acidified by the addition of pure
culture of lactic acid bacteria to sweet cream, which produces a butter of better flavour and
keeping quality. It consists of more than 80% butterfat and small amounts of protein, vitamin A
and D, minerals, lactose and water. Butter must have a minimum of 80% fat content, a non-fat
solid content of 2% and a maximum of 16% moisture (water).
Most butter in the market is lightly salted. Unsalted butter is more perishable but has a fresher,
sweeter taste.
Clarified butter is used as a cooking fat more often than whole butter because the milk solids in
whole butter burn easily.
The smoke point of butter fat is only 150C to 175C, so another product, such as vegetable oil,
should be used when high cooking temperatures are required.

Composition
Average composition of Butter

Fat 82.5%

Protein (Casein) 1.5%

Lactose 2%

Salt 2%

Water 12%

Factors that affect quality of Butter

Classification of Butter
There are four main types of butter:
1. Fresh or Sweet cream Butter,
2. Ripened cream or Lactic Butter,
3. Blended or Milled Butter and
4. Special Butter
(Fresh and ripened cream Butters are known as “Creamery Butters”).

Manufacture of Creamery Butter

1. Holding: The cream (35%) is pasteurized at 95°C (203°F) and held for 2 to 4 seconds. It is
then cooled to 4.5°C (40°F) and held there for several hours to ensure the uniform hardening of
the fat globules.

2. Ripening: When the end product is going to be a ripened butter or lactic butter, a “starter”
(which is a laboratory culture of acid-producing bacteria) will be added during the Holding stage,
in which the holding temperature will be 15.5-18.5°C (60-65°F) for 3 to 4 hours before being
cooled to 4.5°C (40°F). This gives the butter a much fuller flavour. However, the flavour tends to
fade and therefore the ripened cream butter has a shorter life than the sweet cream butters. This
stage will be omitted when making the sweet cream butter.

3. Churning: The churning of cream is done in large stainless steel churns that hold about 1000
gallons of cream. The temperature must not exceed more than 4°C. The churns are rotated while
internal rollers pass through the cream. This breaks the envelope of non-fat particles/solids that
surround the small fat globules and coalesce to form larger groups of butter fat. The envelope is
dispersed in the thin liquid part of the cream to form buttermilk. After about 30 minutes of
churning, the butter separates out in the form of grains and floats in the buttermilk. The
buttermilk is carefully drained away and used for other purposes.

4. Washing and Salting: The butter grains are now washed with ice water to remove any traces of
buttermilk left on the surface of each grain, in order to maximize the keeping quality. Ice water
also helps to harden butter grains. Salting can be done in two ways:
a. By adding fine grains of dairy salt, and
b. By soaking in a brine solution for 10-15 minutes and allowing the butter to absorb it.
The quantity of salt added usually average 1% for ripened cream butter and 1.5% for fresh cream
butter. Salt contributes to flavour and improves the keeping quality.
The butter grains are then worked into a smooth solid mass by rotating the churns slowly for 10-
15 minutes, then weighed and packed. Colouring (annatto) may also be added at this stage. If
unsalted butter is required, the salting stage is omitted.

Blended Butter
Blended butter is a blend of butters from different regions or countries. These are mixed together
to produce a product of standard quality at a competitive price, under a brand name.

Special Butters
This group includes some butter that are not commonly available and those which are not true
butters. These include:
1. Whey Butter: Whey is the liquid which separates from the curd while making cheese. The
butterfat obtained from the whey may be used to produce butter, or it may be added to fresh
cream/milk prior to it being processed into butter. Due to its origin, this butter has a faint cheesy
flavour.

2. Milk blended Butter: Quantities of milk are blended into butter, thereby increasing the
moisture content to 24% (max.).

3. Powdered Butter: This is spray-dried butter containing 80% milk fat and non-fatty solids. It is
produced on a large scale in Australia and is used mainly in the Bakery trade.

4. Compound Butters: These are made by adding a particular natural flavour or colour to butter,
depending on the type of food with which it is served. It is generally used as an accompaniment
e.g. Lobster Butter, Parsley Butter etc.

5. Cocoa Butter: This is not a true butter, rather obtained by crushing the cocoa beans. It is the
most expensive ingredient used in chocolate making. Cocoa butter substitutes, using palm oil, are
also available.

6. Peanut Butter: It is a paste-like substance obtained by grinding roasted peanuts that may be
further emulsified and flavoured.

Uses of Butter
1. As a spread for bread, toast and scones.
2. As a basic ingredient in pastry-making and cake-making.
3. Used as an accompaniment (compound butter).
4. To enhance the taste and flavour of soups and sauces.
5. As a cooking medium (The smoke point of butter fat is only 127-130°C; so a vegetable oil
should be used when high cooking temperatures are required).
6. For butter sculptures.
Butter is available in 10 Gms, 100 Gms and 500 Gms packs in the market.

Storage
Butter is a perishable product and tends to loose flavour and go rancid on prolonged storage.
Exposure to sunlight can make it go rancid faster.
It must be stored at refrigerated temperatures (2°C), well wrapped and away from strong
flavoured foods, for it absorbs odours and flavours easily. If purchased in bulk, it can be frozen
at -25 to -35°C.
A good quality butter should have a clean flavour and aroma characteristic of the type of butter,
have a close body, a waxy texture, be of uniform colour, have a uniform distribution of salt (if
added), be clean in appearance and have an absence of any free moisture.
Ghee is obtained by clarifying butter. Butter is heated to evaporate water. Pure ghee has a higher
keeping quality and is a good cooking medium and a shortening agent used in Indian Cuisine.

Margarine: margarine is made from vegetable fats, plus flavoring ingredients, emulsifiers,
coloring agents, preservatives, and added vitamins. Like butter, it is about 80% fat. Margarine
should have a reasonably clean, fresh flavor, although you should not expect even the best to
taste like high-grade butter. Margarine that do not contain lecithin do not foam and brown like
butter. In all other aspects, margarine is handled and stored like butter.

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CHEF V.K.IYER, IHM MUMBAI, 18/02/2014