For a healthy butter
In the EU, butter may only be sold if it has a maximum water content of 16% and a fat content of at least 82%. However, the composition of butter differs from other animal fats and vegetable oils. It contains different types of fatty acids, including short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids, which serve as a source of energy, and long-chain saturated fatty acids, which are stored as energy reserves.
To ensure that everything is in order with butter, its quality and marketability must be checked. We will show you what you need to bear in mind.
Not all fats are the same
Butter consists mainly of fat. The spreadable fat contains mainly saturated fatty acids and a proportion of trans fatty acids, which lead to an increase in cholesterol in the body. Trans fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids that are similar in structure to saturated fatty acids. They are particularly common in industrially hydrogenated vegetable fats such as margarine. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids can lead to high cholesterol levels and is therefore unhealthy, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and heart attacks.
Long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, have positive effects on the cardiovascular system and are very healthy. Butter made from pasture milk is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins. The content of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in butter depends, among other things, on how much green fodder the cows have been given. The more grass and hay the cows eat, the more omega-3 fatty acids the butter made from their milk contains.
Butter put to the test
Residues and impurities in the production process can also affect the quality of butter. Last year, Stiftung Warentest tested 30 different types of butter from retailers and found harmful substances such as saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH), traces of pesticides and microbiological pathogens such as yeasts and molds in some products.
There is no legal limit value for mineral oil hydrocarbons MOSH, but there is a guideline value from food monitoring and the food industry. MOSH can accumulate in the body and can be detected in organs such as the liver and spleen. Mineral oil residues can come from the raw milk itself because cows absorb them from the environment, but they can also get into the butter during production or from the packaging. According to the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), an intake of (MOSH) via the diet is not necessarily unhealthy for humans. However, aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) can cause cancer.
Errors in the production and storage of butter
During the production and storage of butter, various quality losses can occur, which primarily affect its taste and appearance. These include:
● Off-flavors due to contact with undesirable substances
● Color changes due to exposure to light or oxygen
● Becoming rancid if the butter is oxidatively or microbially affected
● Texture problems, i.e. the butter loses its consistency and becomes too soft or too hard, for example
● Impurities that get into the butter from outside
These and similar quality losses can be avoided by carrying out strict quality controls throughout the production and storage process.
Tentamus laboratories can help
The laboratories of the Tentamus Group specialize in testing dairy products, oils and fats for safety, quality and marketability. Our experts have many years of experience in food analysis and always evaluate results according to the latest legal and scientific findings.
We test butter for pathogens, germs, perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), pesticide residues and mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH), as well as hydrogen halides such as trichloromethane. Trichloromethane can be produced as a by-product during the cleaning of milk tanks or butter churns. It is a suspected carcinogen and can cause long-term damage to the liver and kidneys in humans. By analyzing the fatty acid spectrum, we can make statements about the composition of fatty acids, e.g. saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acid composition is an important factor for the quality of fats and can have an impact on the sensory properties, shelf life and health benefits of butter.
By analyzing contaminants, we determine the content of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as mineral oil components and other impurities that can occur in oils and fats.