Determination of the adulteration of butter

The adulteration of butter is a serious problem due to economic advantages taken by replacing expensive milk fat with cheaper oil without informing the customers. The authentication of milk fat methods include analysis of bulk components, especially triacylglycerols, fatty acids, sterols and tocopherols. Fatty acid and sterol composition was analysed by using GC‐MS. TAG and tocopherol profiles were examined by HPLC with diode array (DAD) and fluorescence detectors (FLDs). In addition, identification of selected TAG of butter fat was conducted by LC‐atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI)/MS technique. The lipid composition of 16 different butters available on Polish market were investigated. The cholesterol content in butter fat ranged from 176.8 to 264.8 mg/100 g of fat and in two samples of milk fat β‐sitosterol was found. The total saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in milk fat was 67.1–73.5%, monounsaturated fatty acid 24.5–30.5% and polyunsaturated fatty acid was 1.2–2.0%. Abnormalities in fatty acid profiles, e.g. high concentration of linoleic fatty acid, were found in two butters. These abnormalities were also determined in TAG profiles. The examination of tocopherols in butter fat confirmed that two products were adulterated by the addition of plant oils because they contained δ‐tocopherol which is typical for plant origin foodstuffs. The methods described are useful for investigating milk fat adulterations, and the most efficient are analysis of sterols and tocopherols composition. Practical applications: The described methods are useful for investigating adulteration of milk fat. Traditional strategies rely on examination of fatty acids methyl esters and TAG; these methods have some disadvantages. Due to the variability of fatty acid composition of milk fat and because TAG analysis is complex and time consuming, FA analysis is not an efficient approach for butter authentication. The most efficient method for butter authentication is qualitative and quantitative analysis of sterols and tocopherols. This analysis will determine if components of plant origin were used for butter production.