Butter is a soft, yellow colored, comestible cream of butterfat in combination with air, water, and sometimes salt. The early reference to butter was in the 9th century B C in India. The invention of butter manufacturing process was accidental.
People back in earlier days used to carry milk in strapped bags. The vigorous movement of the bags while travelling lead to the churning effect, if the weather was cold butter would form and if the weather was warm the outcome of milk churning would be cheese. Butter manufacturing process in the United States of America started with the settlement of colonies. People who owned cows started making butter at home.
Today, butter manufacturing process is based on the knowledge gained from the experience of many people from centuries. Every step taken in matters such as hygiene, heat treatment, and bacterial acidification using technically developed and advanced machineries. By the end of nineteenth century, people started using commercial cream separator and in the mid twentieth century, commercialization of continuous churning made its start.
The butter manufacturing process can be divided into four phases as mentioned below.
Collection Of Milk And Cream
Butter production can be produced from milk of any domestic animal. Once the milk is collected, the cream is alienated from the milk. Cream used in the manufacturing of butter needs to be sweet, clear from any flavors, non-rancid and non-oxidized. The cream has to be pasteurized at more than 95°C in order to eliminate any micro-organisms and enzymes.
Aging The Cream For Better Product
Aging of cream is a necessary step. The cream has to be kept in cool temperature for crystallization of butterfat globules. This ensures that the cream can be churned properly to get best consistency of butter. An aging tank is used, where the cream is cooled in a controlled program. This gives the butterfat the exact crystalline structure. Normally, the aging of cream takes 12 to 15 hours.
Churning Of Cream
The cream is taken from the aging tank and pumped into the churning machine or continuous butter maker using the plate heat exchanger to bring the butter to its required temperature. As the churning process starts, the cream is stimulated, which leads to formation of butter granules.
As the churning process continues, the globules grow larger and integrate. The resultant of churning leads to two byproducts, one is the semisolid accumulation of butter, and the other is the left over liquid called buttermilk.
Draining The Buttermilk
Now, that the cream is divided into two products, buttermilk and butter grains, they have to be separated. The draining of buttermilk in traditional churning machines takes place once the butter grains reach its definite size. On the other hand, continuous butter making machine keeps draining the buttermilk in a continuous manner.
Once draining of buttermilk is complete, the butter granules are washed thoroughly to make sure all the buttermilk is washed off. This helps in preserving the butter for a long time without turning rancid.
Now, that the butter is ready, salt is added for flavor and to increase its shelf-life. Salt plays the role of a preservative.
People back in earlier days used to carry milk in strapped bags. The vigorous movement of the bags while travelling lead to the churning effect, if the weather was cold butter would form and if the weather was warm the outcome of milk churning would be cheese. Butter manufacturing process in the United States of America started with the settlement of colonies. People who owned cows started making butter at home.
Today, butter manufacturing process is based on the knowledge gained from the experience of many people from centuries. Every step taken in matters such as hygiene, heat treatment, and bacterial acidification using technically developed and advanced machineries. By the end of nineteenth century, people started using commercial cream separator and in the mid twentieth century, commercialization of continuous churning made its start.
The butter manufacturing process can be divided into four phases as mentioned below.
Collection Of Milk And Cream
Butter production can be produced from milk of any domestic animal. Once the milk is collected, the cream is alienated from the milk. Cream used in the manufacturing of butter needs to be sweet, clear from any flavors, non-rancid and non-oxidized. The cream has to be pasteurized at more than 95°C in order to eliminate any micro-organisms and enzymes.
Aging The Cream For Better Product
Aging of cream is a necessary step. The cream has to be kept in cool temperature for crystallization of butterfat globules. This ensures that the cream can be churned properly to get best consistency of butter. An aging tank is used, where the cream is cooled in a controlled program. This gives the butterfat the exact crystalline structure. Normally, the aging of cream takes 12 to 15 hours.
Churning Of Cream
The cream is taken from the aging tank and pumped into the churning machine or continuous butter maker using the plate heat exchanger to bring the butter to its required temperature. As the churning process starts, the cream is stimulated, which leads to formation of butter granules.
As the churning process continues, the globules grow larger and integrate. The resultant of churning leads to two byproducts, one is the semisolid accumulation of butter, and the other is the left over liquid called buttermilk.
Draining The Buttermilk
Now, that the cream is divided into two products, buttermilk and butter grains, they have to be separated. The draining of buttermilk in traditional churning machines takes place once the butter grains reach its definite size. On the other hand, continuous butter making machine keeps draining the buttermilk in a continuous manner.
Once draining of buttermilk is complete, the butter granules are washed thoroughly to make sure all the buttermilk is washed off. This helps in preserving the butter for a long time without turning rancid.
Now, that the butter is ready, salt is added for flavor and to increase its shelf-life. Salt plays the role of a preservative.
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