Influence of post-production storage conditions and seasonality on techno-functional properties of butter
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Date
2025
Authors
Dinneen, Órla
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Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
Several properties of butter, including colour, texture and meltability are key determinants of the quality and acceptability of the product. Consistency in the delivery of these properties in finished product, across multiple application scenarios, is key to the continued success and consumer acceptance of the product. To achieve this, it is essential to understand how each unit operation and processing step in the overall process impacts the processability and quality attributes of finished product. The aim of this thesis was to investigate how (a) post-production storage conditions, and (b) seasonality impacted these properties. Variation in the quality and chemical properties of milk and cream (e.g., fatty acid profile), as well as post-production storage conditions (i.e., temperature and time), are known to exist within large-scale butter production systems, making the research objectives of this thesis particularly relevant for dairy scientists and industry alike.
In the first experimental chapter, texture analysis, differential scanning colorimetry (DSC) and rheological analyses were employed to understand how post-production storage impacted techno-functional properties of butter in mid-late season (MLS) and late season (LS). Fatty acid profiling was performed to provide a baseline understanding of the dominant chemical constituents of butter. Six different temperature treatments were used to store butter in the days directly following production. Specific storage temperatures used included temperatures between -30°C and +5°C. It was concluded that, although numerical differences existed across all measured parameters, when considering standard deviation, no differences in key functionality parameters were found between the different temperature treatments investigated. These conclusions informed the authors that it would be relevant to focus on the impact of pre-processing factors, and specifically, seasonality, for the second experimental chapter.
In the second experimental part of this study, the focus was on the techno-functional properties of butter across a season, derived from the milk of numerous herds with changing stage of lactation and dietary factors. These techno-functional properties included melt properties, fatty acid profile, textural properties, and colour. There was opportunity from this study to gain a greater understanding of how the specific chemical changes within milk, observed across a season in an industrial milk processing setting, could influence the quality of the resultant butter, while also understanding and identifying how some of these inter-related factors are correlated with one another. It was found that statistically significant differences existed across many fatty acid profiles including C16:0 (palmitic acid) and C18:1 (oleic acid). Statistically significant differences were also found across some measured textural properties, such as peak force, and workability. Both were found to be significantly lower in butter produced in autumn, when compared with butter produced in spring and summer. L* colour chromaticity values remained consistent throughout the year, while a*, and especially b*, colour chromaticity values showed significant differences between seasons. In addition, many thermal properties exhibited significant differences between seasons. First peak crystallisation temperature, and crystallisation onset temperature, were highest in spring, and significantly lower in summer and autumn. Second peak crystallisation temperature was significantly higher in spring and summer when compared with autumn, while melting completion was highest in spring, and significantly lower in the other two seasons. This is valuable new knowledge for the scientific community and industry stakeholders, to inform choices on raw material selection for processing and the setting of production parameters. All results are discussed in detail throughout the chapter and the learnings from this thesis provide beneficial insights for dairy processors and the scientific community.
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Keywords
Butter
Citation
Dinneen, Ó. 2025. Influence of post-production storage conditions and seasonality on techno-functional properties of butter. MSc Thesis, University College Cork.