The Acid Degree, Free Volatile Fatty Acids, and the Flavor Score of Salted Commercial Butters

It is well known that butter deteriorates during long storage as a result of oxidative or hydrolytic processes with a subsequent formation of various chemical substances. The extent of the deterioration is governed by such factors as the past history of the butter and the conditions of storage. A number of chemical changes occur in butter as a result of storage. An interesting example of these changes is found in the work of Browne (2) who noted that a sample of butter exposed to the air at room temperature for a period of about 25 years markedly increased in the content of free acids and total volatile acids and decreased in the unsaturated insoluble acid content.