Butter is manufactured from dairy cream using a churning process. The cream is produced by passing milk through a separator, which divides the incoming milk into skim milk (0.1% milkfat) and cream (35-40% milkfat).
Cream is churned until small butter grains form in buttermilk. The buttermilk is drained and the churning process continues until the grains are kneaded together. Salt is typically added and this adds flavour to the butter and also enhances its shelf-life. It requires about twenty litres of whole milk to produce one kilogram of butter. 
The churning process results in a water-in-oil emulsion. The final product is around 80% milkfat, and 16% water in the form of very tiny droplets. The smooth texture of butter is closely linked to the working (kneading) process.
In addition to milkfat and water, normal butter contains salt (1.5-2.0%), trace amounts of protein, calcium, phosphorous, and various fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, and E).
Butter should have a uniform colour, and a smooth consistency so that it is easy to spread and readily melts on the tongue.
While there are various kinds of butter, the most common is sweet cream butter, which is made from pasteurised cream. Recent developments include reduced-fat butter, lite butter, and spreadable dairy blends which are softer at refrigeration temperatures.
Types of butter
Cultured butter: the cream is cultured using bacteria which sour the cream, producing butter with an enhanced flavor.
Dairy blends and spreads: are a mixture of butter and vegetable oils (usually canola or olive).
Whipped butter: has had air or other gases whipped into it, resulting in a product with greater volume (reduced density) and better spreadability at refrigeration temperatures.
FAQs
Refrigerated butter should last up to a month past the printed date if it's unopened. If the butter has been opened, it can last up to two weeks past that printed date. If you're storing the butter longer term, unopened butter stored in the freezer can last anywhere from nine months to a year past the date.
Is butter good for health? ›
It can help strengthen your bones. Butter contains vitamin D, a nutrient that is vital for bone growth and development. It also has calcium, which is essential for bone strength. Calcium also helps prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones weak and fragile.
What are the three types of butter? ›
Types of Butter
- Salted. Salted butter is all-natural butter, readily available at any grocery store. ...
- Unsalted. Because many baking recipes are an exact science, added salt (which helps extend freshness) can sometimes mess with the chemistry. ...
- Clarified. ...
- European Style. ...
- Whipped. ...
- Ghee. ...
- Cultured. ...
- Spreadable.
Since the concept of squeeze spread isn't new, we found a way to make LAND O LAKES® Soft Squeeze™ butter spread stand out: It contains real butter.
How do you know if real butter is bad? ›
Any sour or off-putting smell means it's a goner. Same goes for taste: If it tastes sour or off, toss it out. 5 And don't worry, a small taste of rancid butter won't hurt you. Of course any visible mold, discoloration, and changes in texture are visible cues that it's time to throw the butter in the trash.
Should butter be refrigerated? ›
Butter and margarine are safe at room temperature. However, if butter is left out at room temperature for several days, the flavor can turn rancid so it's best to leave out whatever you can use within a day or two.
What is the healthiest butter to eat? ›
Butter can absolutely fit into a healthy diet, says registered dietitian Abbey Sharp, and grass-fed butter is the healthiest butter money can buy.
Can I eat butter every day? ›
It's less processed than plant spreads but does contain saturated fats. Based on measurements of over 20,000 individuals, our scientists predict that for 64% of the people, it's OK to eat butter regularly — about every other day — but not every day, and large quantities may have a negative impact.
Is country crock healthier than butter? ›
Is Country Crock® better for me than dairy butter? Country Crock® products are all made of plant-based oils – a source of good fats. Because we use plant-based oils, all our Country Crock® products contain less saturated fat than dairy butter, as well as zero cholesterol.
What butter do chefs prefer? ›
European-style butter
European butters have a higher butterfat percentage than American butters, and have become the butters of choice for many chefs, bakers, and passionate home cooks.
Cabot Creamery's salted butter won the top prize in its category with 99.65 points, a near-perfect score. The Vermont company narrowly beat out a French butter that costs two to three times the price. Cabot Creamery is a New England farmer cooperative, making the brand easy to love.
Why is margarine better than butter? ›
Pros: Margarine is much lower in saturated fat than butter, and it is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Cons: Although it is lower in saturated fat, stick margarine still contains about the same amount of total fat and calories as butter.
What brand of butter is real butter? ›
Challenge Butter has been a quality staple in kitchens since 1911. It's churned daily from two natural ingredients: the freshest 100% real pasteurized sweet cream and salt. That's it. Nothing artificial or synthetic.
Is Walmart butter any good? ›
Excellent Butter for the PRICE
This butter is a great value and great price. Its just as good as name brands. I am glad to know that it is kosher and gluten free.
Why did Land O Lakes get rid of the Indians? ›
DesJarlait said he believed that the company did not discard the imagery to get rid of a stereotype, but out of discomfort with representations of Native Americans of any kind. “She just disappeared,” he said. Maine Just Banned Native American Mascots.
Is it OK to eat out of date butter? ›
The result is that butter can often remain edible past its printed expiration date provided you have checked it for any obvious evidence to the contrary. When using expired butter, first examine it for changes in color or texture, any funky or sour smells, or visible evidence of mold growth.
Can I use 2 year old frozen butter? ›
Butter is freezer-safe. In fact, freezing a butter package is the most effective way to preserve its safety for the longest time. Frozen butter can stay safe for consumption for approximately one year.
Is rancid butter toxic? ›
Does butter ever spoil in the fridge? It's not a food poisoning hazard, it goes rancid. So it smells and tastes pretty bad. Although it won't poison you as such, the stomach may react to the rancidity as if it is a poison and you may vomit after eating it.
Does butter grow mold? ›
The butter industry has constantly faced the possi- bility that mold might appear on butter, wrappe'rs, or packages before the butter reached the consumer. The molding of butter is by no means a new problem, nor is there any reason to believe that it is more common today than it was fifty years ago.
