324 SAI/TING THE BUTTER 



ounces of salt per gallon of cream would yield a butter with 

 a moderate salt content. On farm dairies and in creameries 

 where the butter is taken out of the churn and placed on a 

 separate worker, the required amount of salt is usually deter- 

 mined by the weight of the butter, using from one-half to three- 

 quarters of one ounce of salt for every pound of butter for 

 medium salted butter. Where the butter is worked and salted 

 in the churn this method is not practical. Today the great 

 majority of creameries are basing the amount of salt to be used, 

 on the pounds of butterfat in the churn, as calculated by the 

 weight and test of the cream. This is by far the most accurate 

 and most satisfactory method. Experience has shown that the 

 proper amount of salt for the average American market is about 

 three-quarter to one and one-half ounces of salt per pound of 

 butterfat. These figures are based on a desired salt content of 

 from 2.5 to 3.5 per cent under average conditions and methods 

 of salt incorporation, the latter being relatively crude from the 

 point of view of economy of salt. For salt tests see "Deter- 

 mination of Salt in Butter," Chapter XXII. 



Where the method of manufacture and other conditions are 

 fairly constant from day to day, this ratio makes it possible 

 to produce butter with a reasonably uniform salt content. How- 

 ever, the portion of salt that remains in the butter depends, 

 aside from the amount added, on such factors as size and con- 

 dition of butter granules, amount of working which the butter 

 receives before and after salting, the condition and amount of 

 moisture in butter at the time the salt is added, the method 

 of salting, whether the salt is added in dry form, in wet form, 

 or in the form of brine, and the type of salt crystals. 



Size and Condition of Butter Granules. If the butter con- 

 sists of small, round and very firm granules the salt is dissolved, 

 distributed and held by the butter with difficulty, and much 

 of the salt is lost in the expelled brine. If the butter is reason- 

 ably firm and the granules large and irregular, or if the but- 

 ter granules have united into large lumps, the salt can be 

 worked into the butter more readily, there is less expulsion 

 of brine and therefore a relatively large proportion of the salt 

 added is absorbed by the butter. For this reason the trench 

 system of salting assists in the economic use of the salt. 



