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{{Short description|Dairy product}}
]
{{Other uses}}
'''Butter''' is a ] made by ] fresh or ] ] or ]. In many parts of the world, butter is an everyday food. Butter is used as a ], as a ] and in ] applications such as baking, sauce making, and frying. Butter consists of ] surrounding minuscule droplets consisting mostly of ] and milk ]. The most common form of butter is made from ]' ], but butter can also be made from the milk of other ]s, including ], ]s, ], and ]s. ], ]s, or ]s are sometimes added to butter. ] butter produces ] or '']'', which is almost entirely butterfat.
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
]
'''Butter''' is a ] made from the fat and ] components of churned ]. It is a semi-solid ] at ], consisting of approximately 80% ]. It is used at room temperature as a ], melted as a ], and used as a ] in ], ]-making, ], and other cooking procedures.


Most frequently made from ]'s milk, butter can also be manufactured from the milk of other ]s, including ], ], ], and ]. It is made by ] milk or cream to separate the fat globules from the ]. ] has been added to butter since antiquity to help preserve it, particularly when being transported; salt may still play a preservation role but is less important today as the entire supply chain is usually ]. In modern times, salt may be added for taste.<ref>{{cite book | author=Institute of Medicine. Committee on Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake | last2=Henney | first2=Jane E. | last3=Taylor | first3=Christine Lewis | last4=Boon | first4=Caitlin S. | title=Strategies to reduce sodium intake in the United States | chapter=4: Preservation and Physical Property Roles of Sodium in Foods | url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK50952/ | website=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=2010 | isbn=978-0-309-14805-4 | oclc=676698420 | page= | access-date=14 June 2022 | archive-date=9 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509180020/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK50952/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ] is sometimes added to butter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Butter coloring |url=https://www.ocemuseum.nl/oce-technologies/butter-coloring/?lang=en |access-date=2 January 2023 |archive-date=2 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230102123254/https://www.ocemuseum.nl/oce-technologies/butter-coloring/?lang=en |url-status=live }}</ref> ] butter, removing the water and ], produces ], or '']'', which is almost entirely butterfat.
A firm solid when ], butter softens to a spreadable consistency at ] and melts to a thin liquid consistency at 32&ndash;35&nbsp;°C (90&ndash;95&nbsp;°F). The color of butter is generally a pale ], but can vary from deep yellow to nearly white. The color of the butter depends on the animal's feed and is sometimes manipulated with ]s, most commonly ] or ].


Butter is a water-in-oil ] resulting from an inversion of the cream, where the milk proteins are the emulsifiers. Butter remains a firm solid when ] but softens to a spreadable consistency at ] and melts to a thin liquid consistency at {{Convert|32|to|35|C}}. The density of butter is {{convert|911|g/L|oz/USpt|abbr=on|frac=4}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://physics.info/density/|work=The Physics Hypertextbook|title=Density|last=Elert|first=Glenn|access-date=26 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819083024/https://physics.info/density/|archive-date=19 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It generally has a pale yellow color but varies from deep yellow to nearly white. Its natural, unmodified color is dependent on the source animal's feed and genetics, but the commercial manufacturing process sometimes alters this with food colorings like ]<ref>{{cite journal |title=A Substitute for 'Annatto' in Butter |journal=Nature |year=1946 |doi=10.1038/157232a0 |last1=Saïd |first1=Husein |last2=Nada |first2=I. A. A. |volume=157 |issue=3982 |page=232 |pmid=21017927 |bibcode=1946Natur.157..232S |s2cid=4131974 |doi-access=free }}</ref> or ].
The term "butter" is used in the names of products made from pureed nuts or peanuts, such as ], or from fruits, such as ]. Other ] solid at room temperature are also known as "butters"; examples include ] and ]. In general use, the term "butter", unqualified, almost always refers to the dairy product. The word ''butter'', in the ], derives (via ]) from the ] ''butyrum'', borrowed from the ] ''boutyron''. This may have been a construction meaning "cow-cheese" (''bous'' "ox, cow" + ''tyros'' "cheese"), or the word may have been borrowed from another language, possibly ].{{ref|etymology}} The root word persists in the ] found in ] butter and other rancid dairy products.


==Etymology==
== Butter production ==
]
]
The word ''butter'' derives (via ]) from the ] ''butyrum'',<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127023222/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dbutyrum# |date=27 January 2012 }}, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, ''A Latin Dictionary'', on Perseus</ref> which is the ] of the ] βούτυρον (''bouturon'')<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317032537/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dbou%2Fturon# |date=17 March 2012 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114104253/http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0112520#m_en_gb0112520#m_en_gb0112520 |date=14 November 2010 }}, Oxford Dictionaries</ref> and βούτυρος.<ref name="A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), Butyrum"></ref> This may be a compound of βοῦς (''bous''), "ox, cow"<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317024014/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dbou%3Ds# |date=17 March 2012 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> + τυρός (''turos''), "cheese", that is "cow-cheese".<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316230327/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dturo%2Fs# |date=16 March 2012 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref><ref>Beekes, Robert Stephen Paul, and Lucien Van Beek. Etymological dictionary of Greek. Vol. 2. Leiden: Brill, 2014</ref> The word ''turos'' ("cheese") is attested in ].<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304074111/http://www.palaeolexicon.com/default.aspx?static=12&wid=572# |date=4 March 2012 }}, Word study tool of ancient languages</ref> The Latinized form is found in the name ], a compound found in ] butter<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Widder|first1=Sabine|last2=Sen|first2=Alina|last3=Grosch|first3=Werner|date=1991-07-01|title=Changes in the flavour of butter oil during storage|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01192013|journal=Zeitschrift für Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und Forschung|language=en|volume=193|issue=1|pages=32–35|doi=10.1007/BF01192013|s2cid=82639499|issn=1438-2385}}</ref> and other dairy products.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Perko|first1=B.|last2=Habjan-Penca|first2=V.|last3=Godic|first3=K.|date=1988|title=Biochemical parameters of retarded fermentation of Parmesan cheese|url=https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=YU9100895|journal=Agris|publisher=Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations|access-date=10 July 2021|archive-date=10 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710092934/https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=YU9100895|url-status=live}}</ref>
:''Main article: ]''


==Production==
{{Main|Churning (butter)}}
]
] milk and cream contain ] in ] globules. These globules are surrounded by membranes made of ]s (] ]s) and ]s, which prevent the fat in milk from pooling together into a single mass. Butter is produced by agitating cream, which damages these membranes and allows the milk fats to conjoin, separating from the other parts of the cream. Variations in the production method will create butters with different consistencies, mostly due to the butterfat composition in the finished product. Butter contains fat in three separate forms: free butterfat, butterfat ], and undamaged fat globules. In the finished product, different proportions of these forms result in different consistencies within the butter; butters with many crystals are harder than butters dominated by free fats.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}


Churning produces small butter grains floating in the water-based portion of the cream. This watery liquid is called ], although the buttermilk most commonly sold today is instead directly fermented skimmed milk.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1 December 2006|title=A comparative study of the fractionation of regular buttermilk and whey buttermilk by microfiltration|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0260877405004966|journal=Journal of Food Engineering|language=en|volume=77|issue=3|pages=521–528|doi=10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.06.065|issn=0260-8774|last1=Morin|first1=P.|last2=Pouliot|first2=Y.|last3=Jiménez-Flores|first3=R.|access-date=7 June 2021|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607013819/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0260877405004966|url-status=live}}</ref> The buttermilk is drained off; sometimes more buttermilk is removed by rinsing the grains with water. Then the grains are "worked": pressed and kneaded together. When prepared manually, this is done using wooden boards called ]. This consolidates the butter into a solid mass and breaks up embedded pockets of buttermilk or water into tiny droplets.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
] milk and cream contain ] in the form of microscopic globules. These globules are surrounded by ]s made of ]s (] ]s) and ]s, which prevent the fat in milk from pooling together into a single mass. Butter is produced by agitating cream, which damages these membranes and allows the milk fats to come together and separate from the other parts of the cream. Variations in the production method will create butters with different consistencies, mostly due to the butterfat composition in the finished product. Butter contains fat in three separate forms: free butterfat, butterfat ], and undamaged fat globules. In finished butter, different proportions of these three forms result in different consistencies: butters with many crystals are harder than butters dominated by free fats.


Commercial butter is about 80% butterfat and 15% water; traditionally-made butter may have as little as 65% fat and 30% water. Butterfat is a mixture of ], a ] derived from ], and three of any of several ] groups.<ref>Rolf Jost "Milk and Dairy Products" Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2002. {{doi|10.1002/14356007.a16_589.pub3}}</ref> ] is sometimes added by U.S. butter manufacturers without declaring it on the label because the U.S. allows butter to have an undisclosed flavorless and natural coloring agent (whereas all other foods in the U.S. must label coloring agents).<ref>Butter: A Rich History. Elaine Khosrova. 2016. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Pages 123–124. ISBN 978-1-61620-739-7 (PB).</ref> The preservative ] is sometimes added instead of salt (and as a flavor enhancer), and sometimes additional ] is added to boost the buttery flavor (in the U.S., both ingredients can be listed simply as "natural flavors").<ref>Butter: A Rich History. Elaine Khosrova. 2016. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Page 125. ISBN 978-1-61620-739-7 (PB).</ref> When used together in the NIZO manufacturing method, these two flavorings produce the flavor of cultured butter without actually fully fermenting.<ref>Butter: A Rich History. Elaine Khosrova. 2016. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Page 129–30. ISBN 978-1-61620-739-7 (PB).</ref>
Almost all commercially-made butter today starts with ] cream, usually heated to a relatively high pasteurization temperature above 80&nbsp;°C (180&nbsp;°F). Before it is churned, the cream is cooled to about 5&nbsp;°C (40&nbsp;°F) and allowed to remain at that temperature for at least eight hours; under these conditions about half the butterfat in the cream crystallizes. The jagged crystals of fat inflict damage upon the fat globule membranes during churning, speeding the butter-making process.


==Types==
Churning produces small butter grains floating in the water-based portion of the cream. This watery material is ]&mdash;although the buttermilk most common today is instead a directly fermented skimmed milk. The buttermilk is drained off; sometimes more buttermilk is removed by rinsing the grains with water. Then the grains are "worked": pressed and kneaded together. This consolidates the butter into a solid mass and breaks up embedded pockets of buttermilk or water into tiny droplets.
]
Before modern factory butter making, cream was usually collected from several milkings and was therefore several days old and somewhat fermented by the time it was made into butter. Butter made in this traditional way (from a fermented cream) is known as '''cultured butter'''. During fermentation, the cream naturally sours as ] convert ]s into ]. The fermentation process produces additional aroma compounds, including ], which makes for a fuller-flavored and more "buttery" tasting product.<ref name="McGee">{{cite book|last=McGee|first=Harold|author-link=Harold McGee|title=On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen|date=2004|publisher=]|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-684-80001-1|lccn=2004058999|oclc=56590708}}</ref>{{rp|page=35}}


Butter made from fresh cream is called '''sweet cream butter'''. Production of sweet cream butter first became common in the 19th century, when the development of ] and the mechanical ]<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=33}} made sweet cream butter faster and cheaper to produce at scale<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Melissa |date=2022-06-10 |title=America's Most Luxurious Butter Lives to Churn Another Day |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/dining/animal-farm-creamery-butter.html |access-date=2023-06-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> (sweet cream butter can be made in 6 hours, whereas cultured butter can take up to 72 hours to make).{{Cn|date=December 2024}}
Commercial butter is about 80% butterfat and 15% water; traditionally-made butter may have as little as 65% fat and 30% water. Butterfat consists of many moderate-sized, saturated ] chain fatty acids. It is a ], an ester derived from ] and three ] groups. Butter becomes ] when these chains break down into smaller components, like ] and ].


Cultured butter is preferred throughout ], while sweet cream butter dominates in the United States and the United Kingdom. Chef Jansen Chan, the director of pastry operations at the International Culinary Center in Manhattan, says, "It's no secret that dairy in France and most of Europe is higher quality than most of the U.S."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-22 |title=The science-backed reasons why croissants always taste better in Paris |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/180451/the-science-backed-reasons-why-croissants-always-taste-better-in-paris |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Mic |language=en}}</ref> The combination of butter culturing, the 82% butterfat minimum (as opposed to the 80% minimum in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-08 |title=What's the Difference Between Regular, Cultured, and European Butter? |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-regular-cultured-and-european-butter |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Bon Appétit |language=en-US}}</ref>), and the fact that French butter is grass-fed,<ref>{{Cite web |last=France |first=Taste Europe Butter of |date=2022-09-02 |title=Taste Europe Butter of France Uncovers Why American Chefs Rely on European Butter |url=https://www.perishablenews.com/dairy/taste-europe-butter-of-france-uncovers-why-american-chefs-rely-on-european-butter/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Perishable News |language=en-US}}</ref> accounts for why French pastry (and French food in general) has a reputation for being richer-tasting and flakier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Are European-style butters worth the price? |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/2015/09/23/european-style-butters-worth-price/72619298/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=The Des Moines Register |language=en-US}}</ref> Cultured butter is sometimes labeled "European-style" butter in the United States, although cultured butter is made and sold by some, especially Amish, dairies.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}
==Types of butter==
Before modern factory butter making, cream was usually collected from several milkings and was therefore several days old and somewhat fermented by the time it was made into butter. Butter made from a fermented cream is known as '''cultured butter'''. During fermentation, the cream naturally sours as ] convert ] into ]. The fermentation produces additional aroma compounds, including ], which makes for a fuller-flavored and more "buttery" tasting product.{{ref|diacetyl}} Today, cultured butter is usually made from pasteurized cream whose fermentation is produced by the introduction of '']'' and '']'' bacteria.


Milk that is to be made into butter is usually ] during production to kill ]ic bacteria and other ]s. Butter made from ] is very rare and can be dangerous because it is made from unpasteurized milk. Commercial raw milk products are not legal to sell through interstate commerce in the United States<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nutrition |first=Center for Food Safety and Applied |date=2020-06-25 |title=Raw Milk Questions & Answers |url=https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/raw-milk-questions-answers |journal=FDA |language=en}}</ref> and are very rare in Europe.<ref name="McGee" />{{rp|page=34}} Raw cream butter is generally only found made at home by dairy farmers or by consumers who have purchased raw whole milk directly from them, skimmed the cream themselves, and made butter with it.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}
Another method for producing cultured butter, developed in the 1970s, is to produce butter from fresh cream and then incorporate bacterial cultures and lactic acid. Using this method, the cultured butter flavor grows as the butter is aged in cold storage. For manufacturers, this method is more efficient since aging the cream used to make butter takes significantly more space than simply storing the finished butter product. A similar and even more efficient method is to add lactic acid and flavor compounds directly to the fresh-cream butter; while this more efficient process simulates the taste of cultured butter, the product produced is not considered real cultured butter.


=== Clarified butter ===
]
]]]
Today, dairy products are often ] during production to kill ] bacteria and other ]s. Butter made from pasteurized fresh cream is called '''sweet cream butter'''. Production of sweet cream butter first became common in the ], with the development of ] and the mechanical cream separator.{{ref|sweetcream}} Butter made from fresh or cultured unpasteurized cream is called '''raw cream butter'''. Raw cream butter has a "cleaner" cream flavor, without the cooked-milk notes that pasteurization introduces.


] has almost all of its water and milk solids removed, leaving almost-pure butterfat. Clarified butter is made by heating butter to its ] and then allowing it to cool; after settling, the remaining components separate by density. At the top, ]s form a skin, which is removed. The resulting butterfat is then poured off from the mixture of water and ] proteins that settle to the bottom.<ref name="McGee" />{{rp|page=37}}
Cultured butter is the most common type of butter in ], while sweet cream butter dominates in the United States and the ]. Because of this, cultured butter is sometimes labeled ''European-style butter'' in the United States. Raw cream butter is virtually unheard-of in the United States and is rare in Europe as well.{{ref|rawcream}}


] is clarified butter that has been heated to around 120&nbsp;°C (250&nbsp;°F) after the water evaporated, turning the milk solids brown. This process flavors the ghee, and also produces ]s that help protect it from rancidity. Because of this, ghee can be kept for six to eight months under normal conditions.<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=37}}
Several '''spreadable butters''' have been developed; these remain softer at colder temperatures and are therefore easier to use directly out of refrigeration. Some modify the makeup of the butter's fat through chemical manipulation of the finished product, some through manipulation of the cattle's feed, and some by incorporating ]s into the butter. '''Whipped butter''', another product designed to be more spreadable, is aerated via the incorporation of ] gas&mdash; normal air is not used, as doing so would encourage ] and ].


{{anchor|Whey butter}}
All categories of butter are sold in both salted and unsalted forms. Salted butters have either fine, granular ] or a strong ] added to them during the working. Nations that favor sweet cream butter tend to favor salted butter as well, possibly reflecting the blander taste of uncultured butter. In addition to flavoring the butter, the addition of salt also acts as a ].


===Whey butter===
Another important aspect of production is the amount of ] in the finished product. In the United States, all products sold as "butter" must contain a minimum of 80% butterfat by weight; most American butters contain only slightly more than that, averaging around 81%. European-style butters generally have a higher ratio of up to 85% butterfat. ''']''' is butter with almost all of its water and milk solids removed, leaving almost-pure butterfat. Clarified butter is made by heating butter to its melting point and then allowing it to cool off; after settling, the remaining components separate by density. At the top, ] proteins form a skin which is removed, and the resulting butterfat is then poured off from the mixture of water and ] proteins that settle to the bottom. ''']''' is clarified butter which is brought to higher temperatures (120&nbsp;°C/250&nbsp;°F) once the water has cooked off, allowing the milk solids to brown. This process flavors the ghee, and also produces ]s which help protect it longer from rancidity. Because of this, ghee can keep for six to eight months under normal conditions.{{ref|ghee_making}}
Cream may be separated (usually by a centrifuge or a sedimentation) from ] instead of milk, as a ] of cheese-making. Whey butter may be made from whey cream. Whey cream and butter have a lower fat content and taste more salty, tangy and "cheesy".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oukosher.org/index.php/common/article/everything_is_in_butter/|title=Article on sweet cream, whey cream, and the butters they produce|work=Kosher|access-date=24 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220100350/http://oukosher.org/index.php/common/article/everything_is_in_butter/|archive-date=20 February 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> They are also cheaper to make than "sweet" cream and butter. The fat content of whey is low, so 1,000 pounds of whey will typically give only three pounds of butter.<ref>Charles Thom, Walter Fisk, ''The Book of Cheese'', 1918, reprinted in 2007 as {{ISBN|1429010746}}, p. 296</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/CAT31283652|title=Whey butter|first=Charles Francis|last=Doane|date=12 November 2017|publisher=Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry|via=Internet Archive|access-date=29 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528151635/https://archive.org/details/CAT31283652|archive-date=28 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>


== History == ===European butters===
There are several butters produced in Europe with ]s; these include:
]''.]]
* ], from ]
* ], from France
* Beurre Charentes-Poitou (Which also includes: Beurre des Charentes and Beurre des Deux-Sèvres under the same classification), from France
* ], from ]
* Mantequilla de Soria, from Spain
* Mantega de l'Alt Urgell i la Cerdanya, from Spain
* ] (''Rucavas baltais sviests''), from ]<ref name="LSM">{{cite news |title=No buts, it's Rucava butter! |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/no-buts-its-rucava-butter.a291313/ |access-date=11 September 2018 |publisher=] |agency=] |date=6 September 2018 |archive-date=11 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225205/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/no-buts-its-rucava-butter.a291313/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==History==
Since even accidental agitation can turn cream into butter, it is likely that the invention of butter goes back to the earliest days of ], perhaps in the ]n area between 9000 and 8000&nbsp;]. The earliest butter would have been from ] or ]'s milk; ] are not thought to have been ] for another thousand years or so.{{ref|dairying_origins}} An ancient method of butter making, still used today in some parts of ] and the ], is shown in the photo at right, taken in ]. A goat skin is half filled with milk, then inflated with air and sealed. It is then hung with ropes on a tripod of sticks and rocked to and fro until the butter is formed.
]'', March 1914.]]


Elaine Khosrova traces the invention of butter back to Neolithic-era Africa 8,000 BC in her book.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tastingtable.com/948507/the-first-butter-was-invented-by-accident-and-it-didnt-come-from-a-cow/|title=The First Butter Was Invented By Accident And It Didn't Come From A Cow|first=Lauren|last=Rothman|date=6 August 2022|website=Tasting Table|access-date=19 January 2023|archive-date=19 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119191538/https://www.tastingtable.com/948507/the-first-butter-was-invented-by-accident-and-it-didnt-come-from-a-cow/|url-status=live}}</ref> A later ]ian tablet, dating to approximately 2,500 B.C., describes the butter making process, from the milking of cattle,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=McCormick |first=Finbar |date=1 December 2012 |title=Cows, milk and religion: the use of dairy produce in early societies |url=https://bioone.org/journals/anthropozoologica/volume-47/issue-2/az2012n2a7/Cows-milk-and-religion--the-use-of-dairy-produce/10.5252/az2012n2a7.full |journal=Anthropozoologica |volume=47 |issue=2 |pages=101–113 |doi=10.5252/az2012n2a7 |s2cid=55564559 |issn=0761-3032}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Churncraft |title=A Brief History of Butter |url=http://buttertales.churncraft.com/a-brief-history-of-butter/ |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Churncraft |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> while contemporary Sumerian tablets identify butter as a ritual offering.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Unknown |url=https://viewer.cbl.ie/viewer/image/CT_008/1/LOG_0000/ |title=Cuneiform tablet: offering of butter for the god Suen |access-date=11 September 2022 |archive-date=11 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911024609/https://viewer.cbl.ie/viewer/image/CT_008/1/LOG_0000/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Limet |first=Henri |date=September 1987 |title=The Cuisine of Ancient Sumer |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.2307/3210058 |journal=The Biblical Archaeologist |language=en |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=132–147 |doi=10.2307/3210058 |jstor=3210058 |s2cid=164157044 |issn=0006-0895}}</ref>
Butter was certainly known in the classical ] civilizations, but it does not seem to have been a common food, especially in Ancient ] or ]. In the warm Mediterranean climate, unclarified butter would spoil very quickly&mdash; unlike ], it was not a practical method of preserving the benefits of milk. The people of ancient Greece and Rome seemed to consider butter a food fit more for the northern ]s. A play by the Greek philosopher ] refers to ] as ''boutyrophagoi'', "butter-eaters".{{ref|anaxandrides}} ]'s ] calls butter "the most delicate of food among barbarous nations", and goes on to describe its medicinal properties.{{ref|pliny}}


In the ], unclarified butter spoils quickly, unlike cheese, so it is not a practical method of preserving the nutrients of milk. The ancient Greeks and Romans seemed to use the butter only as unguent and medicine and considered it as a food of the ]s.<ref name="A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), Butyrum"/>
Historian and linguist Andrew Dalby says that most references to butter in ancient ]ern texts should actually be translated instead as ]. Ghee is mentioned in the ] as a typical trade article around the ] ], and Roman geographer ] describes it as a commodity of ] and ].{{ref|greecerome}} In ], ghee has been a symbol of purity and an offering to the gods&mdash;especially ], the ] god of fire&mdash;for more than 3000 years; references to ghee's sacred nature appear numerous times in the ], circa 1500&ndash;1200&nbsp;BCE. The tale of the child ] stealing butter remains a popular children's story in India today. Since India's prehistory, ghee has been both a ] and used for ceremonial purposes such as fueling holy lamps and funeral pyres.
A play by the Greek comic poet ] refers to ] as ''boutyrophagoi'', "butter-eaters".<ref name=Dalby_65>Dalby p. 65.</ref> In his '']'', ] calls butter "the most delicate of food among barbarous nations" and goes on to describe its medicinal properties.<ref>Bostock and Riley translation. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027200352/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137;query=chapter%3D%232043;layout=;loc=28.36%7CBook |date=27 October 2008 }}.</ref> Later, the physician ] also described butter as a medicinal agent only.<ref>Galen. ''de aliment. facult.''</ref>


===Middle Ages===
]
]
Cooler climates in northern Europe allowed butter to be kept longer before spoiling. ] has the longest history in Europe of a butter export trade, dating at least to the ].{{ref|scandinavia}} Across most of Europe after the fall of Rome and through much of the ], butter was a common food, but one with a low reputation; it was consumed principally by ]s. It slowly became more accepted by the upper class, especially when, in the early ], the ] permitted its consumption during ]. ] and butter became common fare among the new ], and the English, in particular, gained a reputation for their liberal use of melted butter as a sauce for meats and vegetables.{{ref|McGee33}}
In the cooler climates of northern Europe, people could store butter longer before it spoiled. ] has the oldest tradition in Europe of butter export trade, dating at least to the 12th century.<ref name=WE>Web Exhibits: Butter. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051021003815/http://webexhibits.org/butter/history-firkins.html# |date=21 October 2005 }}.</ref> After the fall of Rome and through much of the ], butter was a common food across most of Europe—but had a low reputation, and so was consumed principally by ]s. Butter slowly became more accepted by the upper class, notably when the ] allowed its consumption during ] from the early 16th century. Bread and butter became common fare among the middle class and the English, in particular, gained a reputation for their liberal use of melted butter as a sauce with meat and vegetables.<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=33}}


In antiquity, butter was used for fuel in lamps, as a substitute for oil. The ''Butter Tower'' of ] was erected in the early 16th century when Archbishop ] authorized the burning of butter during Lent, instead of oil, which was scarce at the time.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Pantropheon or a History of Food and its Preparation in Ancient Times |last=Soyer |first=Alexis|year=1977|orig-year=1853|publisher=Paddington Press |location=Wisbech, Cambs. |isbn=978-0-448-22976-8|page=172}}</ref>
Across far-northern Europe&mdash;], ], ], and Scandinavia&mdash;butter was sometimes treated in a manner unheard-of today: it was packed into barrels (]s) and buried it in ] ], perhaps for years. Such "bog butter" would develop a strong flavor as it aged, but remain edible, in large part because of the unique cool, airless, ] and ] environment of a peat bog. Firkins of such buried butter are a common archaeological find in Ireland; the Irish National Museum has some containing "a grayish cheese-like substance, partially hardened, not much like butter, and quite free from putrefaction." The practice was most common in Ireland in the 11th to 14th centuries; it ended entirely before the 19th century.{{ref|firkins}}


Across northern Europe, butter was sometimes packed into barrels (]) and buried in ]s, perhaps for years. Such "]" would develop a strong flavor as it aged, but remain edible, in large part because of the cool, airless, ] and ]ic environment of a peat bog. Firkins of such buried butter are a common archaeological find in Ireland; the ] has some containing "a grayish cheese-like substance, partially hardened, not much like butter, and quite free from putrefaction." The practice was most common in Ireland in the 11th–14th centuries; it ended entirely before the 19th century.<ref name=WE/>
], like Ireland, became well-known for its butter, particularly in the ] and ] regions. By the 1860s, butter had become so in demand in France that Emperor ] offered prize money for an inexpensive substitute to supplement France's inadequate butter supplies. In 1869, a ] claimed the prize with the invention of ]. The first margarine was ] ] flavored with milk and worked like butter; vegetable margarines followed after the development of ] oils around 1900


===Industrialization===
Until the 19th century, the vast majority of butter was made by hand, on farms. The first butter factories appeared in the United States in the early 1860s, after the successful introduction of ] factories a decade earlier. In the late 1870s, the ] cream separator was introduced, marketed most successfully by ] engineer ]. This dramatically sped the butter-making process by eliminating the slow step of letting cream naturally rise to the top of milk. Initially, whole milk was shipped to the butter factories, and the cream separation took place there. Soon, though, cream-separation technology became small and inexpensive enough to introduce an additional efficiency: the separation was accomplished on the farm, and the cream alone shipped to the factory. By 1900, more than half the butter produced in the United States was factory made; Europe followed suit shortly after.
Until the 19th century, the vast majority of butter was made by hand, on farms. Butter also provided extra income to farm families. They used wood presses with carved decoration to press butter into pucks or small bricks to sell at nearby markets or general stores. The decoration identified the farm that produced the butter. This practice continued until production was mechanized and butter was produced in less decorative stick form.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hale|first=Sarah Josepha Buell|title=Mrs. Hale's new cook book|url=https://archive.org/details/b28075195|year=1857}}</ref>


Like Ireland, France became well known for its butter, particularly in ] and ]. Butter consumption in London in the mid-1840s was estimated at 15,357 tons annually.<ref>''The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge, Vol.III'', London (1847) Charles Knight, p.975.</ref>
Per capita butter consumption declined in most western nations during the 20th century, in large part because of the rising popularity of margarine, which is less expensive and, until recent years, was perceived as being healthier. In the United States, margarine consumption overtook butter during the 1950s{{ref|margarine_us}} and it is still the case today that more margarine than butter is eaten in the U.S. and most other nations that track such data.{{ref|margarine_world}}


The first butter factories appeared in the United States in the early 1860s, after the successful introduction of cheese factories a decade earlier. In the late 1870s, the ] ] was introduced, marketed most successfully by Swedish engineer ].<ref>Edwards, Everett E. "Europe's Contribution to the American Dairy Industry". ''The Journal of Economic History'', Volume 9, 1949. 72–84.</ref>
==Worldwide==
] produces and consumes more butter than any other nation, dedicating almost half of its annual milk production to making butter or ghee. In ], India produced 1,470,000&nbsp;] of butter, consuming almost all of it. Second in production was the United States (522,000&nbsp;tons), then France (466,000), ] (442,000), and ] (307,000). In terms of consumption, Germany was second after India, using 578,000&nbsp;tons of butter in 1997, followed by France (528,000), ] (514,000), and the United States (505,000). Most nations produce and consume the bulk of their butter domestically. New Zealand, ], and the ] are among the few nations that export a significant percentage of the butter they produce.{{ref|world_stats}}


] cream separator sped up the butter-making process.]]
Around the world can be found many types of butter. '']'' is a spiced ] clarified butter, buried in the ground and aged for months or years. ] butter is important in ]; '']'', ] flour mixed with yak butter, is a staple food. ] is consumed in the ]n regions of Tibet, ], ] and India. It consists of ] served with intensely flavored &mdash; or "rancid"&mdash;yak butter and salt. In ]n and ]n ], butter is traditionally made from sour milk rather than cream. It can take several hours of churning to produce workable butter grains from fermented milk.{{ref|developing_world}}
In 1920, ] authored ''The Butter Industry, Prepared for Factory, School and Laboratory'',<ref>{{cite book | last =Hunziker | first =O F | author-link=Otto Frederick Hunziker | year =1920 | title =The Butter Industry, Prepared for Factory, School and Laboratory | publisher =author | location =LaGrange, IL}}</ref> a well-known text in the industry that enjoyed at least three editions (1920, 1927, 1940). As part of the efforts of the ], Hunziker and others published articles regarding: causes of tallowiness<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = D. Fay Hosman | title = Tallowy Butter—its Causes and Prevention | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 1 | issue = 4 | pages = 320–346 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 November 1917 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(17)94386-3/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(17)94386-3 | doi-access=free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> (an odor defect, distinct from rancidity, a taste defect); mottles<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = D. Fay Hosman | title = Mottles in Butter—Their Causes and Prevention | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 3 | issue = 2 | pages = 77–106 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 March 1920 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(20)94253-4/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(20)94253-4 | doi-access =free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> (an aesthetic issue related to uneven color); introduced salts;<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = W. A. Cordes | author3 = B. H. Nissen | title = Studies on Butter Salts | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 11 | issue = 5 | pages = 333–351 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 September 1929 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(28)93647-4/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(28)93647-4 | doi-access=free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> the impact of creamery metals<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = W. A. Cordes | author3 = B. H. Nissen | title = Metals in Dairy Equipment. Metallic Corrosion in Milk Products and its Effect on Flavor | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 12 | issue = 2 | pages = 140–181 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 March 1929 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(29)93566-9/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(29)93566-9 | doi-access = free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> and liquids;<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = W. A. Cordes | author3 = B. H. Nissen | title = Metals in Dairy Equipment: Corrosion Caused by Washing Powders, Chemical Sterilizers, and Refrigerating Brines | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 12 | issue = 3 | pages = 252–284 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 May 1929 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(29)93575-X/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(29)93575-X | doi-access = free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> and acidity measurement.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Hunziker | first = O F | author-link = Otto Frederick Hunziker | author2 = W. A. Cordes | author3 = B. H. Nissen | title = Method for Hydrogen Ion Determination of Butter | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 14 | issue = 4 | pages = 347–37 | publisher = American Dairy Science Association | date = 1 July 1931 | url = https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(31)93478-4/abstract | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(31)93478-4 | doi-access = free | df = dmy-all }}</ref> These and other ADSA publications helped standardize practices internationally.


Butter consumption declined in most western nations during the 20th century, mainly because of the rising popularity of ], which is less expensive and, until recent years, was perceived as being healthier. In the United States, margarine consumption overtook butter during the 1950s,<ref>Web Exhibits: Butter. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051214035336/http://webexhibits.org/butter/consumption-butter-fat.html# |date=14 December 2005 }}.</ref> and it is still the case today that more margarine than butter is eaten in the U.S. and the EU.<ref>See for example {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050908055231/http://www.imace.org/graphique/prod-eu.htm |date=8 September 2005 }} from International Margarine Association of the Countries of Europe {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050930172448/http://www.imace.org/margarine/stat.htm |date=30 September 2005 }}. Retrieved 4 December 2005.</ref>
==Storage and cooking==
Normal butter softens to a spreadable consistency around 15&nbsp;°C (60&nbsp;°F), well above ] temperatures. The "butter compartment" found in many refrigerators may be one of the warmer sections inside, but it still leaves butter quite hard. Until recently, many refrigerators sold in ] featured a "butter conditioner", a compartment kept warmer than the rest of the refrigerator&mdash;but still cooler than room temperature&mdash;with a small heater.{{ref|butter_conditioner}} Keeping butter tightly wrapped delays rancidity, which is hastened by exposure to light or air, and also helps prevent it from picking up other odors.


==Worldwide production==
"French butter dishes" or "] butter dishes" involve a lid with a long interior lip, which sits in a container holding a small amount of water. Usually the dish holds just enough water to submerge the interior lip when the dish is closed. Butter is packed into the lid. The water acts as a seal to keep the butter fresh, and also keeps the butter from overheating in hot temperatures. This allows butter to be safely stored on the countertop for several days without spoilage.
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+World butter production (cow's milk) and main producing countries in 2018
!
!Country !! Production<br /> 2018<br /><small>(tonnes)</small>
|-
|1
| {{USA}}||align="right"| 892,801
|-
|2
| {{NZL}}||align="right"| 502,000
|-
|3
| {{GER}}||align="right"| 484,047
|-
|4
| {{FRA}}||align="right"| 352,400
|-
|5
| {{RUS}}||align="right"| 257,883
|-
|6
| {{IRL}}||align="right"| 237,800
|-
|7
| {{TUR}}||align="right"| 215,431
|-
|8
| {{IRI}}||align="right"| 183,125
|-
|9
| {{POL}}||align="right"| 177,260
|-
|10
| {{MEX}}||align="right"| 153,674
|-
|11
| {{GBR}}||align="right"| 152,000
|-
|12
| {{CAN}}||align="right"| 116,144
|-
|13
| {{BLR}}||align="right"| 115,199
|-
|14
| {{BRA}}||align="right"| 109,100
|-
|15
| {{UKR}}||align="right"| 100,000
|-
| colspan="5" |''Source : ''
|}


In 1997, India produced {{convert|1470000|MT|ST}} of butter, most of which was consumed domestically.<ref>Most nations produce and consume the bulk of their butter domestically.</ref> Second in production was the United States ({{convert|522000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}), followed by France ({{convert|466000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}), Germany ({{convert|442000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}), and New Zealand ({{convert|307000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}). France ranks first in per capita butter consumption with 8&nbsp;kg per capita per year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://envoye-special.france2.fr/index-fr.php?page=reportage&id_rubrique=1496|title=Envoyé spécial|work=francetv info|access-date=24 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218050857/http://envoye-special.france2.fr/index-fr.php?page=reportage&id_rubrique=1496|archive-date=18 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> In terms of absolute consumption, Germany was second after India, using {{convert|578000|MT|ST}} of butter in 1997, followed by France ({{convert|528000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}), Russia ({{convert|514000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}), and the United States ({{convert|505000|MT|ST|disp=or|abbr=on}}). New Zealand, Australia, Denmark and ] are among the few nations that export a significant percentage of the butter they produce.<ref>Statistics from ] Foreign Agricultural Service (1999). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050923112615/http://www.fas.usda.gov/dlp2/circular/1999/99-07dairy/toc.htm |date=23 September 2005 }}. Retrieved 1 December 2005. The export and import figures do not include trade between nations within the ], and there are inconsistencies regarding the inclusion of clarified butterfat products (explaining why New Zealand is shown exporting more butter in 1997 than was produced).</ref>
Once butter is softened, ]s, ]s, or other flavoring agents can be mixed into it, producing what is called a ''composed butter''. Composed butters can be used as spreads, or cooled, sliced, and placed onto hot food to melt into a sauce. Sweetened composed butters can be served with ]s; such ]s are often flavored with ].


Different varieties are found around the world. '']'' is a spiced Moroccan clarified butter, buried in the ground and aged for months or years. A similar product is ''maltash'' of the ], where cow and yak butter can be buried for decades, and is used at events such as weddings.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=] |url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/pakistan-remote-butter-cheese-treasure/ |title=Here, the Homemade Butter Is Aged for Half a Century |date=23 January 2018 |archive-date=24 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124022519/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/pakistan-remote-butter-cheese-treasure/ |first=Paul |last=Salopek}}</ref> ] is a specialty in ]; '']'', ] flour mixed with yak butter, is a staple food. ] is consumed in the ]n regions of Tibet, ], ] and India. It consists of tea served with intensely flavored—or "rancid"—yak butter and salt. In African and Asian nations, butter is sometimes traditionally made from ] rather than cream. It can take several hours of churning to produce workable butter grains from fermented milk.<ref>Crawford ''et al.'', part B, section III, ch. 1: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203034019/http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/t0251e/T0251E15.htm#ch1#ch1 |date=3 February 2006 }}. Retrieved 28 November 2005.</ref>
] served over white ] and ]es.]]
Melted butter plays an important role in the preparation of ]s, most obviously in ]. '']'' (hazel butter) and '']'' (black butter) are sauces of melted butter cooked until the milk solids and sugars have turned golden or dark brown; they are often finished with an addition of ] or ]. ] and ] sauces are ]s of ] and melted butter; they are in essence ]s made with butter instead of oil. Hollandaise and béarnaise sauces are stabilized with the powerful ] in the egg yolks, but butter itself contains enough emulsifiers&mdash;mostly remnants of the fat globule membranes&mdash;to form a stable emulsion on its own. '']'' (white butter) is made by whisking butter into reduced vinegar or ], forming an emulsion with the texture of thick cream. ''Beurre monté'' (prepared butter) is an unflavored ''beurre blanc'' made from water instead of vinegar or wine; it lends its name to the practice of "mounting" a sauce with butter: whisking cold butter into any water-based sauce at the end of cooking, giving the sauce a thicker body and a glossy shine&mdash;as well as a buttery taste.{{ref|sauces}}


==Storage==
Butter is used for ] and ], although its milk solids brown and burn above 150&nbsp;°C (250&nbsp;°F)&mdash;a rather low temperature for most applications. The actual ] of butterfat is around 200&nbsp;°C (400&nbsp;°F), so clarified butter or ghee is better suited to frying.{{ref|smokepoint}} Ghee has always been a common frying medium in India, where many avoid other animal fats for cultural or religious reasons.


Normal butter softens to a spreadable consistency around 15&nbsp;°C (60&nbsp;°F), well above ] temperatures. The "butter compartment" found in many refrigerators may be one of the warmer sections inside, but it still leaves butter quite hard. Until recently, many refrigerators sold in New Zealand featured a "butter conditioner", a compartment kept warmer than the rest of the refrigerator—but still cooler than room temperature—with a small heater.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927025358/http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=668 |date=27 September 2007 }}. Retrieved 27 November 2005. The feature has been phased out for ] reasons.</ref> Keeping butter tightly wrapped delays rancidity, which is hastened by exposure to light or air, and also helps prevent it from picking up other odors. Wrapped butter has a ] of several months at refrigerator temperatures.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006073213/http://www.eatbydate.com/dairy/spreads/butter-shelf-life-expiration-date/# |date=6 October 2014 }}. Retrieved 03, October 2014.</ref> Butter can also be frozen to extend its storage life.<ref>{{Citation|last1=Webb|first1=Byron H.|title=Freezing of Dairy Products|date=1977|url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7726-9_9|work=Fundamentals of Food Freezing|pages=357–395|editor-last=Desrosier|editor-first=Norman W.|place=Dordrecht|publisher=Springer Netherlands|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-94-011-7726-9_9|isbn=978-94-011-7726-9|access-date=26 May 2021|last2=Arbuckle|first2=Wendell S.|editor2-last=Tressler|editor2-first=Donald K.}}</ref>
Butter fills several roles in ], where it is used in a similar manner as other solid fats like ], ], or ], but has a flavor that may better complement sweet baked goods. Many ] ]s and some ] ]s are ]ed, at least in part, by ] butter and ] together, which introduces air bubbles into the butter. The tiny bubbles locked within the butter expand in the heat of baking and aerate the cookie or cake. Some cookies like ] may have no other source of moisture but the water in the butter. ] like ] dough incorporate pieces of solid fat into the dough, which become flat layers of fat when the dough is rolled out. During baking, the fat melts away, leaving a flaky texture. Butter, because of its flavor, is a common choice for the fat in such a dough, but it can be more difficult to work with than shortening because of its low melting point. Pastry makers often chill all their ingredients and utensils while working with a butter dough.


===Packaging===
== Health and nutrition ==
====United States====
According to ] figures, one ] of butter (14&nbsp;]s) contains 100&nbsp;]s, all from fat, 11&nbsp;grams of fat, of which 7&nbsp;grams are ], and 30&nbsp;] of ].{{ref|nutrition_stats}} In other words, butter consists mostly of saturated fat and is a significant source of dietary cholesterol. For these reasons, butter has been generally considered to be a contributor to health problems, especially ]. For many years, vegetable margarine was recommended as a substitute, since it is an unsaturated fat and contains little or no cholesterol. In recent decades, though, it has become accepted that the ]s contained in ] margarines significantly raise "bad" ] levels, possibly to a worse extent than butter.
In the United States, butter has traditionally been made into small, rectangular blocks by means of a pair of wooden butter paddles. It is usually produced in {{convert|4|oz|lb g|adj=on|frac=4}} sticks that are individually wrapped in waxed or foiled paper, and sold as a {{convert|1|lb}} package of 4 sticks. This practice is believed to have originated in 1907, when ] began packaging butter in this manner for mass distribution.<ref name="parker">{{cite web
|first = Milton E.
|last = Parker
|title = Princely Packets of Golden Health (A History of Butter Packaging)
|year = 1948
|url = http://drinc.ucdavis.edu/research/butter.pdf
|access-date = 15 October 2006
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061006150533/http://drinc.ucdavis.edu/research/butter.pdf
|archive-date = 6 October 2006
|url-status = dead
|df = dmy-all
}}</ref>
Due to historical differences in butter printers (machines that cut and package butter),<ref name="cooksill"/> 4-ounce sticks are commonly produced in two different shapes:
]
]
* The dominant shape east of the Rocky Mountains is the Elgin, or Eastern-pack shape, named for a dairy in ]. The sticks measure {{convert|4+3/4|x|1+1/4|x|1+1/4|in}} and are typically sold stacked two by two in elongated cube-shaped boxes.<ref name="cooksill">{{Cite journal
| title=A Better Stick of Butter?
| journal=Cook's Illustrated
|issue=77
|date=November–December 2005
| page=3
}}</ref>
* West of the Rocky Mountains, butter printers{{what?|date=December 2024}} standardized on a different shape that is now referred to as the Western-pack shape. These butter sticks measure {{convert|3+1/4|x|1+1/2|x|1+1/2|in}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Commercial Butter Making and Packaging Machines|url=http://www.schiercompany.com/ButterEquipment.html|website=Schier Company, Inc.|access-date=19 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520054543/http://www.schiercompany.com/ButterEquipment.html|archive-date=20 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> and are usually sold with four sticks packed side-by-side in a flat, rectangular box.<ref name="cooksill"/>


Most butter dishes are designed for Elgin-style butter sticks.<ref name="cooksill"/>
Small amounts of butter contain only traces of ], so moderate consumption of butter is not generally a problem for those with ].{{ref|lactose}} People with milk ] do need to avoid butter, which does contain enough of the allergy-causing proteins to cause reactions.{{ref|allergies}}


== Notes == ====Elsewhere====
Outside the United States, butter is measured for sale by mass (rather than by volume or unit/stick), and is often sold in {{cvt|250|g}} and {{cvt|500|g}} packages.
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<div style="font-size: 85%">
# {{note|etymology}} Douglas Harper's ''Online Etymology Dictionary'' entry for . Retrieved 27 November 2005.
# {{note|diacetyl}} McGee p. 35.
# {{note|sweetcream}} McGee p. 33.
# {{note|rawcream}} McGee p. 34.
# {{note|ghee_making}} McGee p. 37.
# {{note|dairying_origins}} Dates from McGee p. 10.
# {{note|anaxandrides}} Dalby p. 65.
# {{note|pliny}} Bostock and Riley translation. .
# {{note|greecerome}} Dalby p. 65.
# {{note|scandinavia}} Web Exhibits: Butter. .
# {{note|McGee33}} McGee p. 33, "Ancient, Once Unfashionable".
# {{note|firkins}} Web Exhibits: Butter. .
# {{note|margarine_us}} Web Exhibits: Butter. .]
# {{note|margarine_world}} See for example from International Margarine Association of the Countries of Europe . Retrieved 4 December 2005.
# {{note|world_stats}} Statistics from ] Foreign Agricultural Service (1999). . Retrieved 1 December 2005. Note that the export and import figures do not include trade between nations within the ], and that there are inconsistencies regarding the inclusion of clarified butterfat products (explaining why New Zealand is shown exporting more butter in 1997 than was produced).
# {{note|developing_world}} Crawford ''et al'', part B, section III, ch. 1: . Retrieved 28 November 2005.
# {{note|butter_conditioner}} . Retrieved 27 November 2005. The feature has been phased out for ] reasons.
# {{note|sauces}} Sauce information from McGee, pp. 36 (''beurre noisette'' and ''beurre noir''), 632 (''beurre blanc'' and ''beurre monté''), and 635&ndash;636 (hollandaise and béarnaise).
# {{note|smokepoint}} McGee p. 37.
# {{note|nutrition_stats}} Data from . Retrieved 27 November 2005.
# {{note|lactose}} From data , one ] of butter contains 0.03&nbsp;grams of lactose; a cup of milk contains 400 times that amount.
# {{note|allergies}} Allergy Society of South Africa. . Retrieved 27 November 2005.
<!--READ ME!! PLEASE DO NOT JUST ADD NEW NOTES AT THE BOTTOM. See the instructions above on ordering. -->
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== References == ====Bulk packaging====
*{{Book reference | Author=McGee, Harold | Title=On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition) | Publisher=Scribner | Year=2004 | ID=ISBN 0-684-80001-2}} pp 33-39, "Butter and Margarine"
*Dalby, Andrew (2003). , 65. Google Print. ISBN 0415232597 (accessed November 16, 2005). Also available in print from Routledge (UK).
*Michael Douma (editor). . Retrieved November 21, 2005.
*{{Book reference | Author=Crawford, R.J.M. ''et al'' | Title=The technology of traditional milk products in developing countries | Publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Year=1990 | ID=ISBN 92-5-102899-0}}
*Grigg, David B. (Nov 7, 1974). , 196-198. Google Print. ISBN 0521098432 (accessed November 28, 2005). Also available in print from Cambridge University Press.


Since the 1940s,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Milton E. Parker|date=1948|title=A History of Butter Packaging|url=http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/ref/MiltonEParker.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031219004652/http://webexhibits.org:80/butter/ref/MiltonEParker.pdf |archive-date=19 December 2003 |access-date=|website=}}</ref> but more commonly the 1960s,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Butter crate {{!}} SA/PKC/PRO/1/6/3/1/1/6|url=https://www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/search/sapkcpro163116-butter-crate/c/1/c/6|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421135423/https://www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/search/sapkcpro163116-butter-crate/c/1/c/6 |archive-date=21 April 2021 |access-date=8 January 2021|website=www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk}}</ref> butter pats have been individually wrapped and packed in cardboard boxes. Prior to use of cardboard, butter was bulk packed in wood. The earliest discoveries used ]. From about 1882 wooden boxes were used, as the ] brought about longer transit times. Butter boxes were generally made with woods whose resin would not taint the butter,<ref name=":0" /> such as ],<ref name=":1" /> ],<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=17 August 1885|title=BUTTER EXPORT-IMPORTANT INVENTION. NEW ZEALAND HERALD|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18850817.2.61|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112034753/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18850817.2.61 |archive-date=12 January 2021 |access-date=9 January 2021|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> ],<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 December 1938|title=BUTTER BOX PINE.|pages=7|work=Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954)|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42162980|access-date=8 January 2021}}</ref> ], or ].<ref name=":0" /> They commonly weighed a firkin at {{Convert|56|lb||abbr=}}.<ref name=":0" />
==External links==

==In cooking and gastronomy==
] served over white asparagus and potatoes]]
Butter has been considered indispensable in ] since the 17th century.<ref>Jean-Robert Pitte, ''French Gastronomy: The History and Geography of a Passion'', {{isbn|0231124163}}, p. 94</ref> Chefs and cooks have extolled its importance: ] said "Donnez-moi du beurre, encore du beurre, toujours du beurre!" ('Give me butter, more butter, still more butter!').<ref name="belleret">Robert Belleret, ''Paul Bocuse, l'épopée d'un chef'', 2019, {{isbn|2809825904}}</ref> ] said, "With enough butter, anything is good."<ref>Katie Armour, "Top 20 Julia Child Quotes", ''Matchbook'', {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124083306/http://www.matchbookmag.com/daily/47-top-20-julia-child-quotes |date=24 January 2020 }}</ref>
]]]
Melted butter plays an important role in the preparation of ]s, notably in French cuisine. '']'' (hazelnut butter) and '']'' (black butter) are sauces of melted butter cooked until the milk solids and sugars have turned golden or dark brown; they are often finished with an addition of vinegar or ].<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=36}} ] and ] sauces are ]s of ] and melted butter. Hollandaise and béarnaise sauces are stabilized with the powerful ] in the egg yolks, but butter itself contains enough emulsifiers—mostly remnants of the fat globule membranes—to form a stable emulsion on its own.<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=635–636}}

'']'' (white butter) is made by whisking butter into reduced vinegar or wine, forming an emulsion with the texture of thick cream. '']'' (prepared butter) is melted but still ] butter; it lends its name to the practice of "mounting" a sauce with butter: whisking cold butter into any water-based sauce at the end of cooking, giving the sauce a thicker body and a glossy shine—as well as a buttery taste.<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=632}}

Butter is used for ] and ], although its milk solids brown and burn above 150&nbsp;°C (250&nbsp;°F)—a rather low temperature for most applications. The ] of butterfat is around 200&nbsp;°C (400&nbsp;°F), so clarified butter or ghee is better suited to frying.<ref name="McGee"/>{{rp|page=37}}
{{cookbook}} {{cookbook}}
Butter fills several roles in ], including making possible a range of textures, making chemical leavenings work better, tenderizing proteins, and enhancing the tastes of other ingredients. It is used in a similar manner to other solid fats like ], ], or ], but has a flavor that may better complement sweet baked goods.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}
*
*


]s are mixtures of butter and other ingredients used to flavor various dishes.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}

==Nutritional information==
{{See also|Butterfat}}
Butter (salted during manufacturing) is 16% water, 81% ], and 1% ], with negligible ]s (provided from table source as 100 g). ] is 51% of total fats in butter (table source).

In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, butter supplies 717 ]s and 76% of the ] (DV) for ], 15% DV for ], and 28% DV for ], with no other ]s in significant content (table). In 100 grams, salted butter contains 215 mg of ] (table source).

{{Nutritional value
| name = Butter, salted
| serving_size = 100 g
| kcal = 717
| water = 16 g
| carbs = 0.06&nbsp;g
| sugars = 0.06&nbsp;g
| fat = 81.1&nbsp;g
| satfat = 51.4&nbsp;g
| monofat = 21&nbsp;g
| polyfat = 3&nbsp;g
| protein = 0.85 g
| cholesterol = 215&nbsp;mg
| vitA_ug = 684
| thiamin_mg = <!-- 0.0007 --> <!-- don't include nutrients that are < 1% of RDA -->
| riboflavin_mg = <!-- 0.005 -->
| niacin_mg = <!-- 0.006 -->
| pantothenic_mg =
| vitB6_mg = <!-- 0.0004 -->
| folate_ug = <!-- 0.426 -->
| vitB12_ug = 0.17
| choline_mg =
| vitC_mg =
| vitD_ug = <!-- 0.06 -->
| vitD_iu =
| vitE_mg = 2.32
| vitK_ug = 7
| calcium_mg = 24
| copper_mg =
| iron_mg = <!-- 0.03 -->
| magnesium_mg = <!-- 0.28 -->
| manganese_mg =
| phosphorus_mg = <!-- 3.4 -->
| potassium_mg = <!-- 3.4 -->
| selenium_ug =
| sodium_mg = 643
| zinc_mg = <!-- 0.01 -->
| note=
}}

As butter is essentially just the milk fat, it contains only traces of ], so moderate consumption of butter is not a problem for ] people.<ref>From data here {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051224060911/http://www.gastro.net.au/diets/lactose.html#|date=24 December 2005}}, one ] of butter contains 0.03&nbsp;grams of lactose; a cup of milk contains 400 times that amount.</ref> People with ] may still need to avoid butter, which contains enough of the allergy-causing proteins to cause reactions.<ref>Allergy Society of South Africa. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051126084811/http://www.allergysa.org/milk.htm |date=26 November 2005 }}. Retrieved 27 November 2005.</ref>

{{comparison of cooking fats}}

==Health concerns==
A 2015 study concluded that "] people should keep their consumption of butter to a minimum, whereas moderate butter intake may be considered part of the diet in the normocholesterolemic population."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Engel |first1=S |last2=Tholstrup |first2=T |title=Butter increased total and LDL cholesterol compared with olive oil but resulted in higher HDL cholesterol compared with a habitual diet. |journal=The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition |date=August 2015 |volume=102 |issue=2 |pages=309–15 |doi=10.3945/ajcn.115.112227 |pmid=26135349|doi-access=free }}</ref>

A meta-analysis and systematic review published in 2016 found relatively small or insignificant overall associations of a dose of 14g/day of butter with mortality and cardiovascular disease, and consumption was insignificantly inversely associated with incidence of diabetes. The study states that "findings do not support a need for major emphasis in dietary guidelines on either increasing or decreasing butter consumption."<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Pimpin|first1=Laura|last2=Wu|first2=Jason H. Y.|last3=Haskelberg|first3=Hila|last4=Del Gobbo|first4=Liana|last5=Mozaffarian|first5=Dariush|date=29 June 2016|title=Is Butter Back? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Butter Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Total Mortality|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=11|issue=6|pages=e0158118|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0158118|issn=1932-6203|pmc=4927102|pmid=27355649|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1158118P|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Sifferlin|first=Alexandra|date=29 June 2016|title=The Case for Eating Butter Just Got Stronger|url=https://time.com/4386248/fat-butter-nutrition-health/|access-date=14 February 2021|magazine=Time|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121120944/https://time.com/4386248/fat-butter-nutrition-health/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|title=On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen|last=McGee|first=Harold|date=2004|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-684-80001-1|location=New York City|lccn=2004058999|oclc=56590708|author-link=Harold McGee}} pp.&nbsp;33–39, "Butter and Margarine"
* {{cite book|last=Dalby|first=Andrew|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RXpm47Wr49EC&pg=PA65|title=Food in the Ancient World from A to Z|page=65|via=Google Books|isbn=0-415-23259-7|access-date=29 April 2020|publisher=Routledge (UK)}}
* Michael Douma (editor). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202204532/http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/ |date=2 December 2016 }}. Retrieved 21 November 2005.
* {{Cite book | title=The Technology of Traditional Milk Products in Developing Countries | publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | year=1990 | isbn=978-92-5-102899-5|display-authors=etal| author=Crawford, R. J. M. }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206102530/http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/t0251e/T0251E00.htm |date=6 December 2016 }}
* Grigg, David B. (7 November 1974). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331130737/https://books.google.com/books?id=16-ejysyRCgC&pg=PA196 |date=31 March 2023 }}, 196–198. Google Print. {{ISBN|0-521-09843-2}} (accessed 28 November 2005). Also available in print from Cambridge University Press.
* {{cite book |last1=Khosrova |first1=Elaine |title=Butter: A Rich History |date=2016 |publisher=Algonquin Books |isbn=978-1616203641}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Butter}}
{{Wiktionary}}
*
* , ''Food Resource, College of Health and Human Sciences, ]'', 20 February 2007. – FAQ, links, and extensive bibliography of ] articles on butter.
*
*

{{Butter}}
{{Milk navbox}}
{{fatsandoils}}
{{Authority control}}

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Latest revision as of 02:37, 13 December 2024

Dairy product For other uses, see Butter (disambiguation).

Solid and melted butter

Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment, and used as a fat in baking, sauce-making, pan frying, and other cooking procedures.

Most frequently made from cow's milk, butter can also be manufactured from the milk of other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, and yaks. It is made by churning milk or cream to separate the fat globules from the buttermilk. Salt has been added to butter since antiquity to help preserve it, particularly when being transported; salt may still play a preservation role but is less important today as the entire supply chain is usually refrigerated. In modern times, salt may be added for taste. Food coloring is sometimes added to butter. Rendering butter, removing the water and milk solids, produces clarified butter, or ghee, which is almost entirely butterfat.

Butter is a water-in-oil emulsion resulting from an inversion of the cream, where the milk proteins are the emulsifiers. Butter remains a firm solid when refrigerated but softens to a spreadable consistency at room temperature and melts to a thin liquid consistency at 32 to 35 °C (90 to 95 °F). The density of butter is 911 g/L (15+1⁄4 oz/US pt). It generally has a pale yellow color but varies from deep yellow to nearly white. Its natural, unmodified color is dependent on the source animal's feed and genetics, but the commercial manufacturing process sometimes alters this with food colorings like annatto or carotene.

Etymology

Butter spread on a crumpet

The word butter derives (via Germanic languages) from the Latin butyrum, which is the latinisation of the Greek βούτυρον (bouturon) and βούτυρος. This may be a compound of βοῦς (bous), "ox, cow" + τυρός (turos), "cheese", that is "cow-cheese". The word turos ("cheese") is attested in Mycenaean Greek. The Latinized form is found in the name butyric acid, a compound found in rancid butter and other dairy products.

Production

Main article: Churning (butter)
Churning cream into butter using a hand-held mixer

Unhomogenized milk and cream contain butterfat in microscopic globules. These globules are surrounded by membranes made of phospholipids (fatty acid emulsifiers) and proteins, which prevent the fat in milk from pooling together into a single mass. Butter is produced by agitating cream, which damages these membranes and allows the milk fats to conjoin, separating from the other parts of the cream. Variations in the production method will create butters with different consistencies, mostly due to the butterfat composition in the finished product. Butter contains fat in three separate forms: free butterfat, butterfat crystals, and undamaged fat globules. In the finished product, different proportions of these forms result in different consistencies within the butter; butters with many crystals are harder than butters dominated by free fats.

Churning produces small butter grains floating in the water-based portion of the cream. This watery liquid is called buttermilk, although the buttermilk most commonly sold today is instead directly fermented skimmed milk. The buttermilk is drained off; sometimes more buttermilk is removed by rinsing the grains with water. Then the grains are "worked": pressed and kneaded together. When prepared manually, this is done using wooden boards called scotch hands. This consolidates the butter into a solid mass and breaks up embedded pockets of buttermilk or water into tiny droplets.

Commercial butter is about 80% butterfat and 15% water; traditionally-made butter may have as little as 65% fat and 30% water. Butterfat is a mixture of triglyceride, a triester derived from glycerol, and three of any of several fatty acid groups. Annatto is sometimes added by U.S. butter manufacturers without declaring it on the label because the U.S. allows butter to have an undisclosed flavorless and natural coloring agent (whereas all other foods in the U.S. must label coloring agents). The preservative lactic acid is sometimes added instead of salt (and as a flavor enhancer), and sometimes additional diacetyl is added to boost the buttery flavor (in the U.S., both ingredients can be listed simply as "natural flavors"). When used together in the NIZO manufacturing method, these two flavorings produce the flavor of cultured butter without actually fully fermenting.

Types

Chart of milk products and production relationships, including butter

Before modern factory butter making, cream was usually collected from several milkings and was therefore several days old and somewhat fermented by the time it was made into butter. Butter made in this traditional way (from a fermented cream) is known as cultured butter. During fermentation, the cream naturally sours as bacteria convert milk sugars into lactic acid. The fermentation process produces additional aroma compounds, including diacetyl, which makes for a fuller-flavored and more "buttery" tasting product.

Butter made from fresh cream is called sweet cream butter. Production of sweet cream butter first became common in the 19th century, when the development of refrigeration and the mechanical milk separator made sweet cream butter faster and cheaper to produce at scale (sweet cream butter can be made in 6 hours, whereas cultured butter can take up to 72 hours to make).

Cultured butter is preferred throughout continental Europe, while sweet cream butter dominates in the United States and the United Kingdom. Chef Jansen Chan, the director of pastry operations at the International Culinary Center in Manhattan, says, "It's no secret that dairy in France and most of Europe is higher quality than most of the U.S." The combination of butter culturing, the 82% butterfat minimum (as opposed to the 80% minimum in the U.S.), and the fact that French butter is grass-fed, accounts for why French pastry (and French food in general) has a reputation for being richer-tasting and flakier. Cultured butter is sometimes labeled "European-style" butter in the United States, although cultured butter is made and sold by some, especially Amish, dairies.

Milk that is to be made into butter is usually pasteurized during production to kill pathogenic bacteria and other microbes. Butter made from raw milk is very rare and can be dangerous because it is made from unpasteurized milk. Commercial raw milk products are not legal to sell through interstate commerce in the United States and are very rare in Europe. Raw cream butter is generally only found made at home by dairy farmers or by consumers who have purchased raw whole milk directly from them, skimmed the cream themselves, and made butter with it.

Clarified butter

Liquid clarified butter

Clarified butter has almost all of its water and milk solids removed, leaving almost-pure butterfat. Clarified butter is made by heating butter to its melting point and then allowing it to cool; after settling, the remaining components separate by density. At the top, whey proteins form a skin, which is removed. The resulting butterfat is then poured off from the mixture of water and casein proteins that settle to the bottom.

Ghee is clarified butter that has been heated to around 120 °C (250 °F) after the water evaporated, turning the milk solids brown. This process flavors the ghee, and also produces antioxidants that help protect it from rancidity. Because of this, ghee can be kept for six to eight months under normal conditions.

Whey butter

Cream may be separated (usually by a centrifuge or a sedimentation) from whey instead of milk, as a byproduct of cheese-making. Whey butter may be made from whey cream. Whey cream and butter have a lower fat content and taste more salty, tangy and "cheesy". They are also cheaper to make than "sweet" cream and butter. The fat content of whey is low, so 1,000 pounds of whey will typically give only three pounds of butter.

European butters

There are several butters produced in Europe with protected geographical indications; these include:

History

Traditional butter-making in Palestine. Ancient techniques were still practiced in the early 20th century. Source: National Geographic, March 1914.

Elaine Khosrova traces the invention of butter back to Neolithic-era Africa 8,000 BC in her book. A later Sumerian tablet, dating to approximately 2,500 B.C., describes the butter making process, from the milking of cattle, while contemporary Sumerian tablets identify butter as a ritual offering.

In the Mediterranean climate, unclarified butter spoils quickly, unlike cheese, so it is not a practical method of preserving the nutrients of milk. The ancient Greeks and Romans seemed to use the butter only as unguent and medicine and considered it as a food of the barbarians. A play by the Greek comic poet Anaxandrides refers to Thracians as boutyrophagoi, "butter-eaters". In his Natural History, Pliny the Elder calls butter "the most delicate of food among barbarous nations" and goes on to describe its medicinal properties. Later, the physician Galen also described butter as a medicinal agent only.

Middle Ages

Woman churning butter; Compost et Kalendrier des Bergères, Paris 1499

In the cooler climates of northern Europe, people could store butter longer before it spoiled. Scandinavia has the oldest tradition in Europe of butter export trade, dating at least to the 12th century. After the fall of Rome and through much of the Middle Ages, butter was a common food across most of Europe—but had a low reputation, and so was consumed principally by peasants. Butter slowly became more accepted by the upper class, notably when the Roman Catholic Church allowed its consumption during Lent from the early 16th century. Bread and butter became common fare among the middle class and the English, in particular, gained a reputation for their liberal use of melted butter as a sauce with meat and vegetables.

In antiquity, butter was used for fuel in lamps, as a substitute for oil. The Butter Tower of Rouen Cathedral was erected in the early 16th century when Archbishop Georges d'Amboise authorized the burning of butter during Lent, instead of oil, which was scarce at the time.

Across northern Europe, butter was sometimes packed into barrels (firkins) and buried in peat bogs, perhaps for years. Such "bog butter" would develop a strong flavor as it aged, but remain edible, in large part because of the cool, airless, antiseptic and acidic environment of a peat bog. Firkins of such buried butter are a common archaeological find in Ireland; the National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology has some containing "a grayish cheese-like substance, partially hardened, not much like butter, and quite free from putrefaction." The practice was most common in Ireland in the 11th–14th centuries; it ended entirely before the 19th century.

Industrialization

Until the 19th century, the vast majority of butter was made by hand, on farms. Butter also provided extra income to farm families. They used wood presses with carved decoration to press butter into pucks or small bricks to sell at nearby markets or general stores. The decoration identified the farm that produced the butter. This practice continued until production was mechanized and butter was produced in less decorative stick form.

Like Ireland, France became well known for its butter, particularly in Normandy and Brittany. Butter consumption in London in the mid-1840s was estimated at 15,357 tons annually.

The first butter factories appeared in the United States in the early 1860s, after the successful introduction of cheese factories a decade earlier. In the late 1870s, the centrifugal cream separator was introduced, marketed most successfully by Swedish engineer Carl Gustaf Patrik de Laval.

Gustaf de Laval's centrifugal cream separator sped up the butter-making process.

In 1920, Otto Hunziker authored The Butter Industry, Prepared for Factory, School and Laboratory, a well-known text in the industry that enjoyed at least three editions (1920, 1927, 1940). As part of the efforts of the American Dairy Science Association, Hunziker and others published articles regarding: causes of tallowiness (an odor defect, distinct from rancidity, a taste defect); mottles (an aesthetic issue related to uneven color); introduced salts; the impact of creamery metals and liquids; and acidity measurement. These and other ADSA publications helped standardize practices internationally.

Butter consumption declined in most western nations during the 20th century, mainly because of the rising popularity of margarine, which is less expensive and, until recent years, was perceived as being healthier. In the United States, margarine consumption overtook butter during the 1950s, and it is still the case today that more margarine than butter is eaten in the U.S. and the EU.

Worldwide production

World butter production (cow's milk) and main producing countries in 2018
Country Production
2018
(tonnes)
1  United States 892,801
2  New Zealand 502,000
3  Germany 484,047
4  France 352,400
5  Russia 257,883
6  Ireland 237,800
7  Turkey 215,431
8  Iran 183,125
9  Poland 177,260
10  Mexico 153,674
11  United Kingdom 152,000
12  Canada 116,144
13  Belarus 115,199
14  Brazil 109,100
15  Ukraine 100,000
Source : FAOSTAT

In 1997, India produced 1,470,000 metric tons (1,620,000 short tons) of butter, most of which was consumed domestically. Second in production was the United States (522,000 t or 575,000 short tons), followed by France (466,000 t or 514,000 short tons), Germany (442,000 t or 487,000 short tons), and New Zealand (307,000 t or 338,000 short tons). France ranks first in per capita butter consumption with 8 kg per capita per year. In terms of absolute consumption, Germany was second after India, using 578,000 metric tons (637,000 short tons) of butter in 1997, followed by France (528,000 t or 582,000 short tons), Russia (514,000 t or 567,000 short tons), and the United States (505,000 t or 557,000 short tons). New Zealand, Australia, Denmark and Ukraine are among the few nations that export a significant percentage of the butter they produce.

Different varieties are found around the world. Smen is a spiced Moroccan clarified butter, buried in the ground and aged for months or years. A similar product is maltash of the Hunza Valley, where cow and yak butter can be buried for decades, and is used at events such as weddings. Yak butter is a specialty in Tibet; tsampa, barley flour mixed with yak butter, is a staple food. Butter tea is consumed in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India. It consists of tea served with intensely flavored—or "rancid"—yak butter and salt. In African and Asian nations, butter is sometimes traditionally made from sour milk rather than cream. It can take several hours of churning to produce workable butter grains from fermented milk.

Storage

Normal butter softens to a spreadable consistency around 15 °C (60 °F), well above refrigerator temperatures. The "butter compartment" found in many refrigerators may be one of the warmer sections inside, but it still leaves butter quite hard. Until recently, many refrigerators sold in New Zealand featured a "butter conditioner", a compartment kept warmer than the rest of the refrigerator—but still cooler than room temperature—with a small heater. Keeping butter tightly wrapped delays rancidity, which is hastened by exposure to light or air, and also helps prevent it from picking up other odors. Wrapped butter has a shelf life of several months at refrigerator temperatures. Butter can also be frozen to extend its storage life.

Packaging

United States

In the United States, butter has traditionally been made into small, rectangular blocks by means of a pair of wooden butter paddles. It is usually produced in 4-ounce (1⁄4 lb; 110 g) sticks that are individually wrapped in waxed or foiled paper, and sold as a 1 pound (0.45 kg) package of 4 sticks. This practice is believed to have originated in 1907, when Swift and Company began packaging butter in this manner for mass distribution. Due to historical differences in butter printers (machines that cut and package butter), 4-ounce sticks are commonly produced in two different shapes:

Eastern-pack shape salted butter
Western-pack shape unsalted butter
  • The dominant shape east of the Rocky Mountains is the Elgin, or Eastern-pack shape, named for a dairy in Elgin, Illinois. The sticks measure 4+3⁄4 by 1+1⁄4 by 1+1⁄4 inches (121 mm × 32 mm × 32 mm) and are typically sold stacked two by two in elongated cube-shaped boxes.
  • West of the Rocky Mountains, butter printers standardized on a different shape that is now referred to as the Western-pack shape. These butter sticks measure 3+1⁄4 by 1+1⁄2 by 1+1⁄2 inches (83 mm × 38 mm × 38 mm) and are usually sold with four sticks packed side-by-side in a flat, rectangular box.

Most butter dishes are designed for Elgin-style butter sticks.

Elsewhere

Outside the United States, butter is measured for sale by mass (rather than by volume or unit/stick), and is often sold in 250 g (8.8 oz) and 500 g (18 oz) packages.

Bulk packaging

Since the 1940s, but more commonly the 1960s, butter pats have been individually wrapped and packed in cardboard boxes. Prior to use of cardboard, butter was bulk packed in wood. The earliest discoveries used firkins. From about 1882 wooden boxes were used, as the introduction of refrigeration on ships brought about longer transit times. Butter boxes were generally made with woods whose resin would not taint the butter, such as sycamore, kahikatea, hoop pine, maple, or spruce. They commonly weighed a firkin at 56 pounds (25 kg).

In cooking and gastronomy

Hollandaise sauce served over white asparagus and potatoes

Butter has been considered indispensable in French cuisine since the 17th century. Chefs and cooks have extolled its importance: Fernand Point said "Donnez-moi du beurre, encore du beurre, toujours du beurre!" ('Give me butter, more butter, still more butter!'). Julia Child said, "With enough butter, anything is good."

Mixing melted butter with chocolate to make a brownie

Melted butter plays an important role in the preparation of sauces, notably in French cuisine. Beurre noisette (hazelnut butter) and Beurre noir (black butter) are sauces of melted butter cooked until the milk solids and sugars have turned golden or dark brown; they are often finished with an addition of vinegar or lemon juice. Hollandaise and béarnaise sauces are emulsions of egg yolk and melted butter. Hollandaise and béarnaise sauces are stabilized with the powerful emulsifiers in the egg yolks, but butter itself contains enough emulsifiers—mostly remnants of the fat globule membranes—to form a stable emulsion on its own.

Beurre blanc (white butter) is made by whisking butter into reduced vinegar or wine, forming an emulsion with the texture of thick cream. Beurre monté (prepared butter) is melted but still emulsified butter; it lends its name to the practice of "mounting" a sauce with butter: whisking cold butter into any water-based sauce at the end of cooking, giving the sauce a thicker body and a glossy shine—as well as a buttery taste.

Butter is used for sautéing and frying, although its milk solids brown and burn above 150 °C (250 °F)—a rather low temperature for most applications. The smoke point of butterfat is around 200 °C (400 °F), so clarified butter or ghee is better suited to frying.

Butter fills several roles in baking, including making possible a range of textures, making chemical leavenings work better, tenderizing proteins, and enhancing the tastes of other ingredients. It is used in a similar manner to other solid fats like lard, suet, or shortening, but has a flavor that may better complement sweet baked goods.

Compound butters are mixtures of butter and other ingredients used to flavor various dishes.

Nutritional information

See also: Butterfat

Butter (salted during manufacturing) is 16% water, 81% fat, and 1% protein, with negligible carbohydrates (provided from table source as 100 g). Saturated fat is 51% of total fats in butter (table source).

In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), butter supplies 717 calories and 76% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A, 15% DV for vitamin E, and 28% DV for sodium, with no other micronutrients in significant content (table). In 100 grams, salted butter contains 215 mg of cholesterol (table source).

Butter, salted
Nutritional value per 100 g
Energy717 kcal (3,000 kJ)
Carbohydrates0.06 g
Sugars0.06 g
Fat81.1 g
Saturated51.4 g
Monounsaturated21 g
Polyunsaturated3 g
Protein0.85 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity %DV
Vitamin A equiv.76% 684 μg
Vitamin B127% 0.17 μg
Vitamin E15% 2.32 mg
Vitamin K6% 7 μg
MineralsQuantity %DV
Calcium2% 24 mg
Sodium28% 643 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water16 g
Cholesterol215 mg

Link to USDA Database entry
Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

As butter is essentially just the milk fat, it contains only traces of lactose, so moderate consumption of butter is not a problem for lactose intolerant people. People with milk allergies may still need to avoid butter, which contains enough of the allergy-causing proteins to cause reactions.

Properties of common cooking fats (per 100 g)
Type of fat Total fat (g) Saturated fat (g) Mono­unsaturated fat (g) Poly­unsaturated fat (g) Smoke point
Butter 81 51 21 3 150 °C (302 °F)
Canola oil 100 6–7 62–64 24–26 205 °C (401 °F)
Coconut oil 99 83 6 2 177 °C (351 °F)
Corn oil 100 13–14 27–29 52–54 230 °C (446 °F)
Lard 100 39 45 11 190 °C (374 °F)
Peanut oil 100 16 57 20 225 °C (437 °F)
Olive oil 100 13–19 59–74 6–16 190 °C (374 °F)
Rice bran oil 100 25 38 37 250 °C (482 °F)
Soybean oil 100 15 22 57–58 257 °C (495 °F)
Suet 94 52 32 3 200 °C (392 °F)
Ghee 99 62 29 4 204 °C (399 °F)
Sunflower oil 100 10 20 66 225 °C (437 °F)
Sunflower oil (high oleic) 100 12 84 4
Vegetable shortening 100 25 41 28 165 °C (329 °F)

Health concerns

A 2015 study concluded that "hypercholesterolemic people should keep their consumption of butter to a minimum, whereas moderate butter intake may be considered part of the diet in the normocholesterolemic population."

A meta-analysis and systematic review published in 2016 found relatively small or insignificant overall associations of a dose of 14g/day of butter with mortality and cardiovascular disease, and consumption was insignificantly inversely associated with incidence of diabetes. The study states that "findings do not support a need for major emphasis in dietary guidelines on either increasing or decreasing butter consumption."

See also

References

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Further reading

External links

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