Question

Milk fat in butter taken out of churn is in which of the following forms
(A). Partially crystalline and partially liquid
(B). Partially globular and mostly free
(C). Completely free fat
(D). Completely crystalline
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (C) and (D)
• (A) and (B)
• (A) and (C)
• (B) and (D)

Hint:

Remember the emulsion structure of butter:
- Continuous phase = Liquid free fat containing suspended fat crystals.
- Dispersed phase = Water droplets, air bubbles, and intact fat globules.
This makes the fat partially crystalline/liquid (A) and partially globular/mostly free (B).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Butter is a water-in-oil emulsion produced by churning pasteurized cream.
During churning, mechanical agitation breaks the fat globule membranes, releasing liquid fat that aggregates to form the continuous phase of the butter.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the physical state of milk fat in butter freshly taken out of the churn:
-(A) Partially crystalline and partially liquid:
This statement is correct.
Butter is churned and worked at temperatures of 10°C to 15°C.
At these temperatures, milk fat is in a semi-solid state, consisting of a mixture of solid (crystalline) fat and liquid fat.
The ratio of solid to liquid fat is critical to the consistency and spreadability of the final butter.
-(B) Partially globular and mostly free:
This statement is correct.
During churning, the fat globule membranes are only partially destroyed.
About 70% to 80% of the fat is released as "free fat," which forms the continuous liquid fat phase that binds the system together.
The remaining 20% to 30% of the fat remains enclosed within intact or partially damaged fat globule membranes, dispersed throughout this continuous phase.
Therefore, options (A) and (B) are the correct descriptions of the fat phase.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct combination is (A) and (B), which corresponds to Option (B).