601. The effect of salt and of antioxidants on the keeping quality of butter

Abstract

Butterfat oxidation occurred in both salted and unsalted butters during storage at 14° F. Butterfat oxidation values, after storage, were much lower in unsalted and in highly salted butters than in butters of normal salt content.Butterfat oxidation in salted butters during storage was retarded by treatment with antioxidants. These included fat-soluble and water-soluble substances, surface-active agents and copper-complexing compounds.Unsalted butter, salted butter and salted butter treated with antioxidants all developed ‘storage’ flavour during storage for eight months.Many of the antioxidants added to salted butter were effective in retarding further fat oxidation and further increase in intensity of storage flavour when the butters were transferred to a temperature of 60–65° F. after storage.