Effect of Chemical Additives on the Spreading Quality of Butter. I. The Consistency of Butter as Determined by Mechanical and Consumer Panel Evaluation Methods

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Abstract
An instrument, the Consistometer, was constructed which measures spreadability (by a knife) and hardness (by a wire) of butter, in grams. The spreading characteristic of 109 commercial samples of butter was determined by the instrument, and by a consumer panel spreading butter on rye bread. Good agreement was obtained between the 2 methods. The butters ranged in hardness from 120 g to 500 g and in spreadability from 260 g to 1542 g, or from "easy" to "difficult" to spread from the consumer panel''s point of view. About 75% of the samples exhibited spreadabilities between 801 g and 1400 g, whereas the most desirable consistency from the consumers'' standpoint was in the range of 400 g to 900 g on the Consistometer. Statistical analysis of data supplied by the manufacturers of the butter indicated significant correlations between butter spread -ability and/or hardness to (a) method of pasteurization, (b) churning temperature, and (c) butter storage temperature.