Butter usually contains about 80% fat. In England, butter must not contain more than 16% water.
Other constituents of butter include protein (1%), lactose (0.4%), mill ash (0.15%), and salt.
The natural color of butter is due to carotene and other fat soluble pigments.
The major proportion of the butter consumed in many countries is sweet cream butter. That is butter manufactured from fresh cream.
Lactic butter, which is more popular is some other countries is manufactured from cream which is first cultured to develop aromatic flavored compounds, e.g. diacetyl.
Both types of butter may be slated (up to 2% salt) depending on market requirements.
Production of butter
Butter making is synonymous with churning of cream in batch or in continuous buttermakers, the latter having been established since the 1930s.
While both processes have been optimized over the years, batch churns are mainly used in smaller dairies and cheese factories (where the cream recovered from whey is churned into whey butter)and continuous plants are used in large scale operations productions 1 – 4 ton of butter.
What are the characteristics of butter?
