Butter Quality Standards: What You Need to Know

Butter is one of the most widely consumed dairy products in the world, and India is no exception. But have you ever checked what actually qualifies a product to be called “butter”? The answer lies in a set of strict quality standards established by regulatory authorities. These standards define everything from the minimum milk fat content to permissible additives, ensuring that every pack of butter you buy is safe, authentic, and consistent in quality. Let’s break down these standards so you know exactly what goes into that golden spread on your toast.

Who sets the quality standards for butter in India? 🔗

In India, butter quality is primarily regulated by three key bodies. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which operates under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006, is the principal regulatory authority today. It replaced and harmonised several earlier regulations. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 historically laid the groundwork for milk product standards in India. And the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), through IS 13690, provides detailed technical specifications for pasteurised butter.

Additionally, the AGMARK standard – administered by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection under the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937 – covers grading for creamery butter (also known as table butter or salted butter). While AGMARK and BIS certifications are generally voluntary, they serve as benchmarks for producing export-quality butter and ensuring premium quality for consumers.

At the international level, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (a joint initiative of FAO and WHO) publishes CODEX STAN 279-1971, the global standard for butter. Indian standards are broadly aligned with this international benchmark.

Minimum milk fat content: the 80% rule 🔗

The single most important parameter in butter quality is milk fat content. According to FSSAI regulations, PFA rules, and BIS specifications alike, table butter must contain no less than 80% milk fat. This 80% threshold is not arbitrary – it is the level at which butter achieves its characteristic flavour, smooth texture, and proper performance in cooking and baking.

This requirement also aligns with the Codex Alimentarius standard, which sets the same 80% minimum milkfat content by mass for butter sold internationally. The standard ensures that what you buy as “butter” is genuinely a high-fat dairy product – not a diluted or adulterated spread.

It is worth noting that desi butter (also called cooking butter or white butter) has a slightly lower threshold. Under PFA standards, desi butter must contain at least 76% milk fat and no more than 20% moisture. This difference reflects its traditional preparation method and different culinary use.

Moisture content limits 🔗

Too much water in butter reduces its quality, shelf life, and cooking performance. To prevent this, the maximum permissible moisture content in table butter is 16%. This limit is consistent across FSSAI, BIS (IS 13690), and the Codex Alimentarius standard.

Moisture is an inherent part of butter processing – during churning, some water from the cream gets trapped in the butter matrix. A certain level of moisture actually helps maintain taste and aroma. However, excess moisture compromises texture, promotes microbial growth, and can indicate improper manufacturing or deliberate water addition to increase weight.

In independent laboratory tests conducted on popular Indian butter brands, Consumer Voice found that all tested brands met this 16% moisture limit, with the best-performing brands having moisture levels around 13.7-13.8%.

Acidity, curd content, and salt: the other key parameters 🔗

Acidity 🔗

Acidity in butter is caused by lactic acid, a byproduct of bacterial action. Over time, acidity increases, making it a useful indicator of freshness and storage conditions. According to BIS standards, the maximum permissible acidity in table butter is 0.15% (expressed as lactic acid). Butter that exceeds this threshold is considered stale or poorly stored.

Curd content 🔗

Curd refers to the residual milk solids (mainly protein and lactose) that remain in butter after churning. Under PFA regulations, table butter should not contain more than 1.5% curd. The BIS standard is slightly stricter, capping curd content at 1.0%. AGMARK allows up to 1.5%. High curd content can accelerate spoilage and affect the butter’s flavour negatively.

Salt content 🔗

Salt is added to butter both as a flavour enhancer and as a preservative. As per PFA standards and FSSAI regulations, the maximum salt content in table butter is 3%. While salt extends shelf life and improves taste, excessive salt can mask defects in the product and is not desirable from a nutritional standpoint.

Solids-not-fat (SNF) 🔗

SNF includes all the non-fat solids in butter – proteins, lactose, vitamins, and minerals. According to FSSAI regulations and the Codex standard, SNF in table butter must not exceed 2%. Keeping SNF low ensures the product is predominantly composed of milk fat and moisture, which is what defines true butter.

Types of butter recognised under Indian standards 🔗

Indian regulations recognise two main types of butter, each with slightly different compositional requirements:

Table butter (creamery butter) is prepared exclusively from the milk, cream, or curd of cows, buffaloes, or their combination. It may contain added salt and can be coloured with annatto. It must meet the 80% fat, 16% moisture, 3% salt, and 1.5% curd limits described above. As per FSSAI regulations, table butter must be made from pasteurised cream.

Desi butter (cooking butter or white butter) is a more traditional product. It has a minimum fat requirement of 76% and a maximum moisture level of 20%. It is typically prepared at the household or small-scale level from fermented cream (malai) and is the primary raw material for making ghee.

Permitted additives in butter 🔗

Butter standards allow only a very limited set of additives. These are strictly regulated to ensure the product remains natural and safe:

Diacetyl is a naturally occurring compound responsible for butter’s characteristic aroma. It may be added as a flavouring agent, but the PFA limits its use to no more than 4 parts per million (ppm).

Annatto and carotene are permitted as natural colouring agents. Annatto, derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, gives butter its yellow-orange hue. Carotene, which occurs naturally in milk fat (especially from pasture-fed cows), may also be used for colour standardisation.

Sodium chloride (common salt) is permitted up to 3% for salted butter varieties.

Starter cultures of harmless lactic acid bacteria and/or flavour-producing bacteria are allowed, particularly in cultured butter production. The Codex standard also permits these cultures along with potable water as ingredients.

Prohibited substances in butter 🔗

The restrictions on what cannot go into butter are equally important – perhaps even more so for consumer protection.

Vegetable oils and non-milk fats are strictly prohibited. Adding any vegetable fat or oil to butter is considered adulteration. This rule ensures that a product labelled “butter” contains only milk-derived fat, distinguishing it from margarine and other spreads.

Most preservatives are not permitted in butter. The product relies on its naturally high fat content, low water activity, salt (in salted varieties), and proper cold storage to stay fresh. Chemical preservatives have no place in genuine butter.

Artificial colours (other than the specifically permitted annatto and carotene) are not allowed. This prevents manufacturers from using synthetic dyes to simulate a richer appearance.

Starch and other fillers are prohibited. Their presence would indicate adulteration and compromise both the compositional standard and the product’s functional properties.

How is butter quality tested? 🔗

Ensuring compliance with these standards requires systematic laboratory testing. The FSSAI prescribes standardised analytical methods in its Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods. The key tests include:

Fat content analysis uses the Gerber method, which involves a butyrometer and centrifuge to separate and measure the fat component accurately.

Moisture determination relies on the oven-drying technique, where the sample is heated at a set temperature and the weight loss is calculated as a percentage.

Acidity measurement is performed through titration using phenolphthalein as an indicator, quantifying lactic acid levels in the butter.

Reichert-Meissl (RM) value and Butyro-refractometer (BR) reading are critical tests for detecting adulteration. The RM value measures volatile fatty acids characteristic of milk fat, while any abnormal increase in the BR reading can indicate the addition of vegetable oils.

Microbiological testing checks for yeast, mould, coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes. These tests confirm that butter is safe for consumption from a hygiene standpoint.

How Indian standards compare to international benchmarks 🔗

India’s butter standards are broadly consistent with international norms. The Codex Alimentarius standard (CODEX STAN 279-1971) specifies a minimum milkfat content of 80%, maximum water content of 16%, and maximum milk solids-not-fat of 2% – identical to the FSSAI requirements for table butter.

The Codex standard was first adopted in 1971 and has been revised multiple times, most recently with amendments in 2003, 2006, and 2010. India, as a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, has worked to align its domestic standards with these global benchmarks through FSSAI’s role as the National Codex Contact Point.

This harmonisation is particularly important for the export market. Indian dairy manufacturers seeking to sell butter internationally must meet both domestic FSSAI standards and the Codex requirements accepted by importing countries.

Why do these standards matter? 🔗

Butter quality standards serve several critical functions. For consumers, they guarantee that what is sold as butter is genuinely a milk fat product – free from vegetable oils, excessive water, or harmful additives. For manufacturers, the standards create a level playing field and clear benchmarks for production. For regulators, they provide an enforceable framework to detect adulteration and penalise non-compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Any product that fails to meet the minimum standards prescribed by FSSAI is legally considered adulterated – regardless of whether anything was deliberately added or removed. This strict approach protects public health and maintains consumer trust in dairy products.

What do you think? Next time you pick up a pack of butter, will you look more closely at the label for fat content and ingredient declarations? And do you think Indian consumers are sufficiently aware of the difference between genuine butter and other fat-based spreads?

References

1. https://www.fssai.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Compendium_Food_Additives_Regulations_21_10_2022.pdf
2. https://archive.org/details/gov.in.is.13690.2021
3. https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https://workspace.fao.org/sites/codex/Standards/CXS+279-1971/CXS_279e.pdf
4. https://tax2win.in/guide/fssai-standards-for-milk-and-milk-products
5. https://consumer-voice.org/butter/table-butter-more-milk-fat-less-salt-thats-how-it-should-be/
6. https://www.agricultureinindia.net/dairy-science/milk/pfa-standards-for-milk-products/19970
7. https://www.compliancecalendar.in/learn/fssai-standards-for-milk-and-milk-products
8. https://foodsafetyhelpline.com/fssai-notifies-revised-general-standards-milk-milk-products/