Effect of milking time on key physicochemical parameters and fatty acids profile of milk, cream and butter

Abstract

The transformation of cow milk to butter and cream is one of the many possibilities for diversifying dairy products. In this context, the aim of this study is to contribute in evaluating the effect of milking time on the physicochemical characteristics and fatty acids profile of milk, cream and butter. The study of physicochemical composition showed that milk contained an average of 12.3 % dry matter, 3.4 % of fat and 3.3 % of total nitrogenous matter. The pH and acidity were 6.66 and 16.01°D. For butter, the average contents of water (15.2 %), fat (83.1 %) and non-fat dry matter (1.75 %) comply with the requirements of international standards and Belgian regulations. Analysis of the other parameters of the butter revealed an average color of 28.95 (expressed on the yellow scale), a low oxidation rate of the order of 0.0005 mEq. O2.g-1 and a texture which correlates positively with the depth of the butter clods. The mean pH value is 4.51. The comparison between evening and morning milking showed that the difference in composition of milks remains not significant (p > 0.05). So it is for the composition and parameters of the butter, except for the color which is significantly more yellow for the evening butters (29.7) compared to those of morning (26.2).

Keywords

• beurre
• lait
• vache
• qualité
• acides gras
• période de traite