DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7701-048-1-0017

BUTTER – FROM FERMENTATION TO SENSORY PROPERTIES

Darija Bendelja Ljoljić¹, Leonarda Valentina Mrkoci¹, Ivan Vnučec¹, Ivica Kos¹

¹ Division of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Butter is traditionally most commonly made from cow's milk, while butter made from goat's and sheep's milk is common in Mediterranean countries, the Middle East and Africa. The type of milk has a significant influence on the physico-chemical, sensory and nutritional properties of butter, which have not yet been sufficiently researched for goat's and sheep's butter. Production processes, such as churning
and ripening of the cream, are key to achieving the desired sensory properties of butter. Butter made from cow's milk has a milder flavour and a firmer texture due to the saturated fatty acids, while butter made from goat's and sheep's milk has a more intense flavour and a softer texture due to the short-chain fatty acids.
The flavour of butter is the result of the interplay of production processes, the type of milk, fermentation and the feeding of the animals, while the colour depends on the presence of beta-carotene. The diversity of butter emphasises the importance of understanding the production factors and the potential to expand the market for goat and sheep butter, which could boost their production and consumption.

Keywords: cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, production process, colour, texture, aroma

pages: 17-22, online: 2025