Butter

Description of product

Butter is the spreadable fat from milk, cream or whey, all of which are produced from cows’ milk. High-quality butter is marketed in the product classes "Deutsche Markenbutter" (i.e., "German Quality Butter") or "Deutsche Molkereibutter" (i.e., "German Dairy Butter"). In these cases, the product may be produced from pasteurised milk, cream or whey, with the addition of water and salt (with or without iodine) only.

According to the content of milk fat, a distinction is made between butter (at least 80 and at most 90 % milk fat), "three-quarter-fat butter" (60 to 62 %) and "half-fat butter" (39 to 41 %).

Colouring in winter: Due the changes in the composition of feed, butter displays a paler yellow colour in winter than in summer. In order to compensate for the natural variance in colour, beta-carotene (provitamin A) may be added to Quality Butter and Dairy Butter. It also is possible to achieve the desired yellow colour through the use of feed additives or through the mixture of summer and winter butters. Experience has shown that beta-carotene is used only sparingly today in the production of butter.

• See also: margarine, milk, cheese, fruit yoghurt

Possible applications of gene technology

Applications of gene technology are possible in the following ingredients that commonly are found in butter. However, the extent to which a particular product is affected by these possibilities cannot be stated with certainty:

• beta-carotene (E160 a): The yellow colouring may be produced with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms. No reliable information exists on the commercial application of this process.

Feed: The feed used in the farming of milk cows may contain a variety of raw materials and additives, in which gene technology plays a role.

• Agricultural raw materials from genetically modified plants: predominantly soybeans but also maize, rapeseed or cotton.
• Additives such as amino acids, vitamins and various enzymes (e.g. phytase): these may be produced with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms.

Labelling of feed: Feed which contains raw materials or additives derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO) must be labelled. Conversely, food such as milk, meat or eggs from animals which have been fed with such feed is not subject to a GMO labelling requirement.