Butter is a dairy product that is made by churning cream, which separates the fat from other milk components through agitation. It can be made from sweet or sour cream, with the latter resulting in a more pronounced flavor. To be considered butter, it must have at least 80% fat content, a maximum of 16% moisture (water), and a non-fat solid content of 2%. Typically, it has a pale yellow color, but this can vary depending on the animal’s feed, which is why commercial manufacturers often add food coloring agents such as carotene or annatto.
There are many factors that can influence the flavor, color, and texture of butter produced by different companies, including the breed of cow or buffalo, the feed provided to the animal, whether salt or coloring agents were added, the manufacturing method and efficiency, and the packaging. India is the largest producer and consumer of butter, with nearly half of its annual milk pool allocated to butter production.
One hundred grams of fresh butter contains approximately 736 calories.
