Manufacturing - Butter/Milkfat - 2005

Butter Flavor and Storage Stability - MaryAnne Drake, NCSU
Dairy Milk Components Laboratory - Ed DePeters, UC Davis


Butter Flavor and Storage Stability

MaryAnne Drake, NCSU

Objectives
- To identify a quantifiable descriptive sensory for butter flavor and texture
- To characterize flavor of butter throughout refrigerated and frozen storage
- To characterize texture and functional characteristics of butter throughout refrigerated and frozen storage

Progress
A sensory language was identified to accurately document sensory properties (flavor, texture, visual) of butter throughout storage.  A refrigerated and frozen storage study with 1620 lbs butter was initiated with butter quarters and bulk butter from two CA production facilities in February.  This storage study will evaluate flavor and functional properties of butter through one year of refrigerated storage, 18 month frozen storage and 6 month refrigerated storage following frozen storage.

The significance and industry benefit from this work
 Butter represents a significant dairy industry commodity.  Flavor as well as texture of butter play a critical role in consumer acceptability and marketability.  Texture of butter has been well-characterized, but the sensory perception of butter flavor has not been characterized using a defined and quantifiable language.   Butter prices and demand fluctuate seasonally and annually.  Many factors play a role in these fluctuations and currently there is a butter surplus.  During times of surplus, butter (bulk and sticks) is often frozen to maintain shelf-life.  Butter may be held at –20C for up to 2 years or longer.  However, there is no quantifiable information on how flavor and texture of butter holds up throughout frozen storage.  The lack of information limits marketability of the frozen product.  The goals of this project are to identify a quantifiable descriptive sensory language for butter flavor and texture to use in research and marketing and to characterize the flavor and texture of bulk and stick butter throughout refrigerated and frozen storage.  This information will enable the design of butter storage regimes and marketing of stored butter.

Conclusions
The project is not complete and conclusions are not appropriate at this time.

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Dairy Milk Components Laboratory

Ed DePeters, UC Davis

Objectives
- Provide support to dairy processors, commercial labs, state agencies, and other organizations working with the analysis of milk for components related to product development, nutritional value of dairy products, and food labeling.
- Improve the current methods of milk analyses performed in the Dairy milk Components Laboratory to meet future requirements including food labeling related to trans fatty acids, solids-not-fat, conjugated linoleic acid, and true protein content of dairy products.
- Develop new methods of milk analyses related to triglyceride structure, phospholipids, and vitamins that will provide information to dairy processors to develop new products or food ingredients for the national and international markets and to expand marketing opportunities based on nutritional value.

Progress
The Dairy Milk Components Laboratory (DMCL) supports the various components of the dairy industry for the benefit of dairy producers.  The DMCL provides expertise in determining the composition of milk and dairy products.

The DMCL focuses on measuring the fatty acids in milk and dairy products. The unsaturated fatty acids including the omega-3 fatty acids are important for maintaining health and preventing disease. Milk fat is low in omega-3 fatty acids, but nutritional and genetic methods are being explored to increase their composition in milk fat. Increasing the omega-3 fatty acids in milk fat will improve the nutrition of milk and dairy products. The DMCL is addressing the issue related to measuring the trans fatty acid content of milk fat. The FDA requires that all food manufacturers list the trans fat content of each food on the Nutrition Facts panel due to the link between trans fat intake and an increased risk for coronary heart disease. The DMCL is completing a study measuring the trans fatty acids in butter. Samples of butter (18) were obtained from the retail level. Conventional and organic production systems were used to produce the butters. The fatty acid composition of the butters will be evaluated for all fatty acids including omega-3 and trans fatty acids.

The second issue is determining the “Country of Origin” of dairy products. Trade agreements regulate importation of dairy products into US. However, there are ways to circumvent trade agreements by moving dairy products through third party countries so that the source of country origin is often lost. Circumventing trade agreements by allowing more imports into the United States hurts the economic situation of dairy producers.

The DMCL explored the possibility of creating a fingerprint for skim milk powder so point of origin might be identified. One sample of skim milk powder from Australia and one powder sample from the US were analyzed in a preliminary study. We targeted the fatty acid composition of the milk fat and the mineral content of the powder. The fatty acid composition will reflect feeds consumed by the animal, and the mineral composition of the milk powder could reflect the soil on which feed was grown or grazed. The two powders could be distinguished by their fatty acid and mineral composition. The Australian powder contained two unidentified fatty acids while the US powder contained only one fatty acid. The two powders were different in content of Se (selenium), B (boron), and Barium (Ba). It is not known if these differences are unique across a range of samples. The DMCL will collaborate with Rafael Jimenez-Flores at the DPTC at Cal Poly SLO.

The DMCL initiated a project to determine the fatty acid composition of various cheeses sold at the retail level in California. Cheese production and per capita consumption continue to increase, but there are few data on the fatty acid composition of cheese.

Publications
Morimoto, K.C., A.L. Van Eenennaam, E.J. DePeters, and J.F. Medrano. 2005. Hot Topic: Endogenous production of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in mammalian cells. Journal of  Dairy Science 88:1142-1146.

McCaughey, K.M., E.J. DePeters, S.J. Taylor, P.H. Robinson, J.E.P. Santos, and J.W. Pareas. 2005. Impact of feeding whole Upland cottonseed, with or without cracked Pima cottonseed with increasing addition of iron sulfate, on milk and milk fat composition of lactating dairy cattle. Animal Feed Science and Technology 123/124:667-685.

Published Abstracts:
Kao, B. T.,  E. J. DePeters, and A. L. Van Eenennaam. 2005. Endogenous Production of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Mammary Gland of Transgenic Mice. Abstract # P763. Final program and abstract guide. XIII International Plant & Animal Genome Meeting, San Diego, CA, Jan.15-19, 2005.
http://www.intl-pag.org/pag/13/abstracts/PAG13_P763.html

Beth Kao, Kerri Morimoto, Ed DePeters, Kristine Lewis, Juan Medrano, and Alison Van Eenennaam.  2005 Endogenous production of omega-3 fatty acids in milk.
 
 Kao, B. T, E.J. DePeters and A.L. Van Eenennaam. 2005. Brain fatty acid composition and postnatal growth of neonates raised on transgenic milk high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Warntjes, J.L., P.H. Robinson, E. Galo, E.J. DePeters, and D. Howes. 2005.Effect of feeding supplemental palmtic acid (C16:0) on performance of lactating dairy cows under summer heat. J. Dairy Sci. 88 (Suppl. 1):372.

Donovan, S., S. Taylor, E. DePeters. 2005. Fatty acid composition of porcine milk throughout lactation and comparison to human and bovine milk fat. J. Dairy Sci. 88 (Suppl. 1):288.

Donovan, S., S. Taylor, E. DePeters. 2005. Mineral and trace element content of porcine milk throughout lactation and comparison to human and bovine milk fat. J. Dairy Sci. 88 (Suppl. 1):289.

Lassonde, L., E. DePeters, and R. Jimenez-Flores. 2005. Spectrophotometry and DSC correlate with fatty acid differences in milk fat crystallization behavior. J. Dairy Sci. 87 (Suppl.1): 145.