BUTTERINE

A substance known under this name, and intended as a substitute for butter, is imported into this country from New York. Of butterine Dr Campbell Brown remarks:—“In general appearance, taste, and consistence, it is very similar to ordinary butter; but notwithstanding that its solidifying point is lower than that of some butters, it retains much of the peculiar crumbly texture and fracture of dripping. “It softens at 78° F., and melts at 86°. When heated and slowly cooled it obscures the thermometer at 62° and solidifies at 60°. It contains — | Water | 11·25 | to | 8·5 | | Salt | 1·03 | ” | 5·5 | | Curd | 0·57 | ” | 0·6 | | Fat | 87·15 | ” | 85·4 | | ——— | | ——— | | 100·00 | | 100·00 | “The fat consists of oleine, palmitine, margarine, a trace of stearine, and about 5 or 6 per cent. of butter. When di olved in about four times its weight of ether, and allowed to evaporate spontaneously, it does not deposit any fat until more than half of the ether has pa ed off, and if the temperature is not below 60° the deposit is not solid. “The first deposit when dried fuses at 108°; the second deposit fuses at 88°, and solidifies at 64°. “Under the microscope butterine does not appear to consist of acicular crystals of fat, but of irregular ma es, containing a few butter globules, particles of curd, and crystals of salt. With polarised light the irregular crystalline structure is beautifully seen, and is clearly distinguishable from butter which has been melted and recon gealed. When old and rancid it acquires the odour and taste of dripping, but it keeps longer undecomposed than butter. When fresh it is a wholesome substitute for real butter. No one can reasonably take exception to its sale. “Butterine may be detected by the following characters:— “1. Its crumbly fracture. “2. Its lo of colour when kept melted for a short time at 212°. “3. The behaviour of its ethereal solution. “4. Its action on polarised light.” The ‘American Chemist’ for 1876 contains an interesting paper by Mr Henry Mott on the manufacture of artificial butter, which is too lengthy for insertion here.