Butterfat
Encyclopedia
Butterfat or milkfat is the fat
ty portion of milk
. Milk and cream
are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain
.
s of butterfat are typically composed as follows (by mass fraction):
, there are federal standards for butterfat content of dairy products. Commercial products generally contain the minimum legal amount of fat.
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
ty portion of milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
. Milk and cream
Cream
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain
Fat content of milk
The fat content of milk is the proportion of milk, by weight,made up by butterfat. The fat content, particularly of cow's milk, is modified to make a variety of products...
.
Composition
The fatty acidFatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...
s of butterfat are typically composed as follows (by mass fraction):
- Saturated fatty acids:
- Palmitic acidPalmitic acidPalmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. Its molecular formula is CH314CO2H. As its name indicates, it is a major component of the oil from palm trees . Palmitate is a term for the salts and esters of...
: 31% - Myristic acidMyristic acidMyristic acid, also called tetradecanoic acid, is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula CH312COOH. A myristate is a salt or ester of myristic acid....
: 12% - Stearic acidStearic acidStearic acid is the saturated fatty acid with an 18 carbon chain and has the IUPAC name octadecanoic acid. It is a waxy solid, and its chemical formula is CH316CO2H. Its name comes from the Greek word στέαρ "stéatos", which means tallow. The salts and esters of stearic acid are called stearates...
: 11% - Lower (at most 12 carbon atoms) saturated fatty acids: 11%
- pentadecanoic acidPentadecanoic acidPentadecanoic acid is a saturated fatty acid. Its molecular formula is CH313COOH.The butterfat in cows milk is its major dietary sourceand it is used as a marker for butterfat consumption.-External links:*...
and heptadecanoic acidHeptadecanoic acidHeptadecanoic acid, or margaric acid, is a saturated fatty acid. Its molecular formula is CH315COOH. It occurs as a trace component of the fat and milkfat of ruminants, but it does not occur in any natural animal or vegetable fat at concentrations over half a percent. Salts and esters of...
: traces
- Palmitic acid
- Unsaturated fatty acids:
- Oleic acidOleic acidOleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. It has the formula CH37CH=CH7COOH. It is an odorless, colourless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. The trans isomer of oleic acid is called elaidic acid...
: 24% - Palmitoleic acidPalmitoleic acidPalmitoleic acid, or -9-hexadecenoic acid, is an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid with the formula CH35CH=CH7COOH that is a common constituent of the glycerides of human adipose tissue. It is present in all tissues, but generally found in higher concentrations in the liver...
: 4% - Linoleic acidLinoleic acidLinoleic acid is an unsaturated n-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature. In physiological literature, it has a lipid number of 18:2...
: 3% - Linolenic acidAlpha-linolenic acidα-Linolenic acid is an organic compound found in many common vegetable oils. In terms of its structure, it is named all-cis-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. In physiological literature, it is given the name 18:3 ....
: 1%
- Oleic acid
U.S. Standards
In the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, there are federal standards for butterfat content of dairy products. Commercial products generally contain the minimum legal amount of fat.
- MilkMilkMilk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
s- skim milk contains less than 0.5% fat, typically 0.1%
- lowfat milk contains between 0.5–2% fat; 1% and 2% varieties are widely marketed
- whole milk contains at least 3.25% fat
- CheeseCheeseCheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
s- dry curdCurdCurds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only...
and nonfat cottage cheeseCottage cheeseCottage cheese is a cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from...
contain less than 0.5% fat - cottage cheese contains at least 4% fat
- lowfat cottage cheese contains 0.5–2% fat
- Cheddar cheeseCheddar cheeseCheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
contains at least 50% fat relative to the total solids - Swiss cheeseSwiss cheeseSwiss cheese is a generic name in North America for several related varieties of cheese which resemble the Swiss Emmental. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance, as the blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as "eyes". Swiss cheese has a piquant, but not very sharp,...
contains at least 43% fat relative to the total solids
- dry curd
- Frozen dessertDessertIn cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
s- ice creamIce creamIce cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
contains at least 10% fat - lowfat ice cream, also called ice milkIce milkIce milk or iced milk is a frozen dessert with less than 10 percent milkfat and the same sweetener content as ice cream. Ice milk is typically priced lower than ice cream, which is unusual because it actually is ice cream, and is typically sold as a generic product.A 1994 change in United States...
, contains not more than 2.6% fat - sherbetSherbet (U.S.)Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water flavored with fruit , wine, and/or liqueur. The origin of sorbet is variously explained as either a Roman invention, or a Middle Eastern drink charbet, made of sweetened fruit juice and water...
contains 1–2% fat
- ice cream
- CreamCreamCream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
s- half and halfHalf and halfHalf and half refers to various beverages or liquid foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances, including dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks...
contains 10.5–18% fat - light cream and sour creamSour creamSour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial...
contain 18–30% fat - light whipping cream (often called simply "whipping cream") contains 30–36% fat
- heavy creamHeavy CreamHeavy Cream is a compilation album of music recorded by Cream during 1966-68.Although available in other territories as well, the album was largely released to address the North American market, in order for Polydor Records to leverage Cream's back catalog; prior to 1972, Polydor had licensed...
contains a minimum of 36% fat - manufacturer's cream (not federally regulated) contains 40% fat
- half and half
- ButterButterButter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
(including whipped butter) contains at least 80% fat
See also
- MilkMilkMilk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
- Fat content of milkFat content of milkThe fat content of milk is the proportion of milk, by weight,made up by butterfat. The fat content, particularly of cow's milk, is modified to make a variety of products...
- Milk bottle topMilk bottle topA milk bottle top is a lid to a milk bottle. They are usually colour-coded to show the consumer the different varieties of milk, especially the flavour or fat content...
- milk bottleMilk bottleMilk bottles are bottles used for milk. They may be reusable glass bottles used mainly for doorstep delivery of fresh milk by milkmen. Customers are expected to rinse the empty bottles and leave on the doorstep for collection...
- KefirKefirKefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with shepherds of the North Caucasus region, who discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage...
- GheeGheeGhee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
- Goat milk
- Sheep milkSheep milkSheep's milk is the milk of domestic sheep. Though not widely drunk in any modern culture, sheep's milk is commonly used to make cultured dairy products. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano , the Pecorino...
- Cow milk
- Chocolate milkChocolate milkChocolate milk is a sweetened, usually cold, cocoa-flavored milk drink. It is created when chocolate syrup is mixed with milk . It can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home with either cocoa powder and a sweetener , or with melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, or chocolate milk mix...
- Coconut milkCoconut milkCoconut milk is the water that comes from the grated meat of a coconut. The colour and rich taste of the milk can be attributed to the high oil content. In many parts of the world, the term coconut milk is also used to refer to coconut water, the naturally occurring liquid found inside the hollow...
- soy milkSoy milkSoy milk and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soybeans. A stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water...
- Pasteurization of milk
- Rice milkRice milkRice milk is a kind of grain milk processed from rice. It is mostly made from brown rice and commonly unsweetened. The sweetness in most rice milk varieties is generated by a natural enzymatic process, cleaving the carbohydrates into sugars, especially glucose, similar to the Japanese amazake...