Butter salting process

Dairy products comprise substantial part of total sodium intake in the diet. Various types of cheeses, ayran and butter contain varying levels of salt and particularly cheeses have high levels of salt in their composition. Butter is essentially a water-in-oil emulsion, comprising of more than 80% milk fat, but also containing water in the form of tiny droplets, perhaps some milk SNF, with or without salt (sweet butter).

According to PFA (Prevention of Food Adulteration) food law, table /creamy butter should contain not more than 3% common salt. It should not contain any preservatives except common salt. Salted butter is produced by adding salt in the unsalted butter in the butter making process.

During butter making process, chilled water at approximately 5 °C is used to harden and control the size of these grains, as well as to remove the traces of buttermilk.

Salt may be added dry or in the form of brine as a final wash. The addition of brine (10% solution) to butter grains has been used to reduce the need for chilled water.

• If the butter is to be salted, in batch process, salt (1-3%) is spread over its surface.
• In the continuous butter maker, a salt slurry (10% concentration) is added to the butter.

The butter grains are ‘worked’ to expel excess moisture, create an even, fine distribution of water droplets, and produce a close textured, evenly colored product.

Salt, as wells as its role in the taste, preserves the product and extends the shelf-life - the average shelf-life of salted butter is five months when refrigerated while this period is three months in unsalted butter.

Salted butter enhances the taste of toasts and other foods as the salt bring out not only the butter flavor, but the other flavors that are in the food.
Butter salting process