Butter

Description

A semisolid mixture of long chain hydrocarbon fatty acids extracted from the milk of any bovine, such as Bos taurus. Butterfats primarily contain the following fatty acids (average %): Oleic acid (26.7), Palmitic acid (29.0), Stearic acid (9.2), Linoleic acid (3.6) and myristic acid (11.1) (CRC Handbook 1980).

Synonyms and Related Terms

butterfat; butter fat

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Iodine value = 36.1
• Saponification value = 227
• Melting Point = 32.2 C
• Density = 0.86-0.87 g/ml
• Refractive Index = 1.4548

Resources and Citations

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: density=0.86-0.87; ref. index=1.406