Vol 3 (1) 2011 - UBM :: Departamentul de Chimie-Biologie

I. Hussain, M. Nadeem, M. Abdullah, Physicochemical quality of unbranded butter sold in Lahore
Short Communication
PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITY OF UNBRANDED BUTTER
SOLD IN LAHORE
I.Hussain 1 , M. Nadeem 1*, M. Abdullah 1
1 Department of Dairy Technology University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
Lahore, Pakistan; *sheikhnadeem@live.com
ABSTRACT
The main objective of this study was to determine the quality of unbranded butter available in Lahore.
Five different types of butter samples were collected from different regions of Lahore. Samples of butter were
analyzed for fat, moisture content, fat free matter, refractive index iodine value, peroxide value, para anisidine
value, totox value, total bacterial count and coliform count. Fat content of all the five samples were less than
prescribed standards (minimum 84% fat), free fatty acids of sample D were 0.25% and peroxide value of all the
samples ranged from 4.25-14.80 Meq./kg. Iodine value of A, D and E was 46.77, 38.50 and 40.50 respectively
which indicated that samples were adulterated with vegetable oils. 60% of the samples were found positive for
Coliforms and E.coli. From the results it can be concluded that quality of unbranded butter sold in Lahore is
extremely poor and substandard from chemical and microbiological point of view.
1. Introduction
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is
generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as
baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, water and milk proteins
[1]. Butter is very popular in Pakistan, there is a taste preference for solid fats in this part of
world. Dairy sector in Pakistan is not well developed; 95-97% milk is sold in raw form.
Thirteen milk processing plants are manufacturing milk and milk products. Small scale
manufacturers and shop keepers manufacture and sale dairy products in extremely unhygienic
conditions. Present study was planed to find out the physicochemical and microbiological
quality of butter sold in Lahore Market.
2. Materials and methods
Butter samples of five different brands were purchased from milk shops and bakeries
of Lahore and coded. Fat content of butter samples were determined by using Gerber method,
moisture content was determined by drying the samples in air forced draft oven (Memmert,
Germany) till constant weight and fat free matter was calculated from the difference of fat
and moisture content by following the methods of [2]. Peroxide value, para anisidine value,
totox value, iodine value free fatty acids and melting point was determined according to the
methods of (A.O.C.S. 1990). Coliform and E.Coli were determined using VRBG and VRBL
media by pour plate method according to the methods of [3].
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