338 



THE COMPOSITION OF MILK PRODUCTS. 



It has been found that in recent years there is a distinct tendency 

 to prepare butter for the English market with a percentage of 

 water as near to the limit of 16 per cent, as possible, and con- 

 sequently the tables above refer rather to the past before the 

 churning and blending operations were so carefully controlled, 

 and represent the composition of butter under conditions which 

 obtained before a limit of water was legalised. 



Table GUI. shows the effect of keeping on the percentage of 

 water contained in the butter ; fresh and salt butters, which 

 were all prepared at the Aylesbury Dairy Company, are kept 

 separate. 



TABLE GUI. VARIATIONS OF WATER IN BUTTERS 

 ON KEEPING. 



Taking butters from twenty-four to forty-eight hours old 

 to represent commercial butter, it is seen that salt butter 

 contains rather less water than fresh butter. The contrary 

 is usually stated ; but this is not according to the author's 

 experience. 



Fresh butter loses its water chiefly by evaporation, and it is 

 seen that this loss is small; salt butter also loses water 

 by brine running out. It will usually be noticed that salt 

 butter looks wet on being cut, while fresh butter rarely has 

 this appearance. 



