290 CHURNING 



of the next churning, the time required to churn the previous 

 batch of cream. Under otherwise normally controlled condi- 

 tions, when the churning process occupies from 40 to 50 minutes, 

 the butter usually has a body and texture of good firm- 

 ness. The churning temperature should therefore be so adjusted 

 as to complete the churning process in about 40 to 50 minutes. 

 For the production of butter of superior body and texture, 

 it is necessary to use a churning temperature low enough to yield 

 a firm butter. This will also facilitate moisture control and the 

 production of uniformity in color, as such butter will stand a 

 sufficient amount of working to regulate the per cent moisture 

 as desired and to effect a most complete fusion between the 

 brine and water, without danger of injuring its body. Of the 

 two evils, too low and too high a churning temperature the 

 former is by far preferable, while the latter may cause real dam- 

 age to the market value of the butter. 



Aside from the physical and chemical properties of the but- 

 terfat and the viscosity of the cream, the factors of length of 

 time held at churning temperature, richness of cream, age of 

 cream, acidity of cream and fullness and speed of churn, should 

 be carefully considered by the buttermaker in his adjustment 

 and choice of the churning temperature. The relation of these 

 factors to the churning is discussed in detail in the following 

 paragraphs. 



Time of Holding Cream at Churning Temperature. The 

 cream should be held at the churning temperature for not less 

 than two hours prior to churning. As previously explained the 

 chief purpose of churning the cream at a temperature lower than 

 that at which it is ripened is to secure butter of satisfactory 

 firmness of body and to avoid excessive loss of fat in the but- 

 termilk. Cream would churn much more rapidly at a some- 

 what higher temperature, but under most conditions the in- 

 jury to the body of the butter and the abnormal loss of fat 

 make such practice prohibitive. 



In order to secure the full benefit of cooling the cream to 

 the churning temperature, the cream must be held at the churn- 

 ing temperature for at least two hours. Butter fat is an exceed- 

 ingly poor conductor of heat. It gives off its heat slowly and 



