Butter from Different Species: Composition and Quality Parameters of Products Commercialized in the South of Spain

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Butter consumption has grown in recent years in Europe, and for some time now, a wide range of butters have been available on the market with a marked variability, due either to the species of origin or the manufacturing process. Applying the same analytical techniques to all, we assessed the quality of commercial butters available on the market in southern Spain. Differences were detected in nutritional value and technological parameters, many of which were linked to sensory quality. This information could be useful for the industry to learn more about the quality of each type of butter and to better promote the product. ABSTRACT: Butter is an important product for the dairy industry due to its particular sensory attributes and nutritional value, while the variability of the composition of the fatty acids in the milk can alter the nutritional and physical properties of butter and its acceptance by consumers. Butter is highly appreciated for its distinctive flavor and aroma; however, one of its main drawbacks lies in the difficulty in spreading it at low temperatures. Several types of butter that are present in the market were used in this study. We assessed the variability in the composition of the samples regarding their texture, color properties, and volatile organic compound profiles. We analyzed samples commercially produced from sheep’s milk (SB), goat’s milk (GB), and cow’s milk (CB); samples from the latter species with (CSB) and without salt (CB); and the low-fat (CLB) version. All the physicochemical composition parameters were significantly affected by the effect of the type of butter, although only 29 out of the 45 fatty acids examined were identified in the butter samples analyzed. The textural properties of the butters were influenced by both their solid fat content and the fatty acid profile. In addition, the origin of the milk not only affected the texture parameters but also the color of the butters and the compounds associated with traits such as odor and flavor. Through the multivariate data analysis of butter fatty acids and volatile compound percentages, we observed a clear differentiation of the samples based on the species of origin.