Butyric acid is rancid butter produce odor reason

Butter is one of the common ingredients in our daily life, but in the case of improper preservation, butter is prone to deterioration, resulting in unpleasant odor. When many consumers taste this stale butter, they often feel a sour smell. One of the roots of this taste is "butyric acid". This article will analyze in detail the reason why butyric acid is the odor of rancid butter, and help you better understand the chemical process of butter deterioration.

Butyric acid is what?

Butyric acid (Butyric acid), chemical formula C4H8O2, is a short-chain fatty acid commonly found in milk, dairy products and fermented foods. It is a colorless liquid with a pronounced sour odor, especially during fermentation or when food is spoiled. In foods, the presence of butyric acid is often a sign of spoilage or spoilage, so it is often considered an off-flavor component.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF BUTYRIC ACID AND BUTTER METAMORPHISM

Butter is a high-fat food, mainly extracted from the fat in milk. The fresh butter was well preserved and had a pleasant taste and smell. Once the butter is exposed to the air, especially in a high temperature or humidity environment, microorganisms will begin to breed, especially some bacteria. Certain bacteria, especially lactic acid bacteria, break down the fatty acids in butter during metabolism, producing butyric acid. This is one of the reasons why butyric acid is a bad smell in rancid butter.

The production of butyric acid is the result of microbial degradation of fat. The triesters in butter are hydrolyzed to glycerol and fatty acids, some of which are further converted by bacteria to butyric acid, which is the main source of odor in putrefactive butter. Therefore, butter in the case of improper storage, easy to produce this sour smell, so that it becomes inedible.

Butyric Acid Chemical Reaction and Odor Production

The sour smell of butyric acid does not come out of nowhere, it is generated through a specific chemical reaction. The fatty acids in butter are metabolized by microorganisms to produce short chain fatty acids. Especially under anaerobic conditions, bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria convert fatty acids into butyric acid and release volatile compounds with a strong unpleasant odor. Butyric acid not only has a sour taste, but also has a characteristic similar to vomit or fermentation odor, especially when the butter is stored for a long time or is not handled well.

How to avoid butter rancid?

In order to prevent butter from producing odor, the most effective way is to keep it refrigerated and avoid exposure to the air. Butter should be stored in sealed containers and kept at low temperatures to reduce bacterial growth and metabolic activity. It is best to choose products with a shelf life when buying butter, and make sure to eat it as soon as possible after opening.

If the butter has started to smell and is sour, the best way to deal with it is to avoid it. Corrupted butter not only has a bad smell, but also poses a potential threat to human health.

Summary

In this paper, we analyze in detail the reason why butyric acid is the bad smell of rancid butter. By understanding the mechanism of butyric acid production, we can better understand the process of butter deterioration and take appropriate measures to prevent food deterioration. The smell of butter is usually due to bacteria metabolizing fatty acids to produce butyric acid, and the sour smell of this substance is intolerable. Understanding these chemical principles can help us better preserve and process butter to ensure that food is fresh and safe.