Can butter be stored in the freezer. Butter storage: term, conditions, best container. How to choose natural and high-quality butter

Butter - how often we see it on our table, how little we know about it, about the methods of proper storage, about the shelf life.

This article contains excerpts from GOSTs 52253-2004 and 32261-2013. They detail the correct storage conditions, transportation rules, as well as the shelf life of butter in accordance with GOST. Let's consider the main points.

at relative air humidity - no more than 90%:
- mode I: air temperature - (3 ± 2) ° С,
- mode II: air temperature - minus (6 ± 3) ° С,
- mode III: air temperature - minus (16 ± 2) ° С.

Shelf life

The shelf life of unsalted, salted, amateur and peasant butter produced in the period from November to April inclusive (stall period) is:
- at a temperature of -12 to -15 ° C - 2 months;
- at a temperature of -18 to -30 ° C - 3-5 months.

Dessert oil, Yaroslavl oil, tea oil and with fillers are stored at a temperature not higher than 5°С and not lower than -5°С and relative air humidity not higher than 80%. The shelf life under the specified conditions is: dessert - 30 days, Yaroslavl, tea and with fillers - 20 days.

Ghee butter in barrels is stored at air temperature from -3 to -6°C for up to 12 months. It is allowed to store this oil at an air temperature of -6°C and below for the following periods:
- at a temperature of -6 to -10 ° C - 4 months;
- at a temperature of -10 ° C and below - 3 months.

Melted butter, packed in glass jars, is stored at an air temperature of 0 to -3 ° C for no more than 3 months, in a metal container - 12 months.

Checking the storage conditions of the oil is carried out by a permanent commission consisting of the head of the process shop, the deputy head of the process shop for quality, the sanitary doctor, the merchandiser, the technologist, the safety engineer and the financially responsible person.

The storage and sale of butter in a retail network is carried out in accordance with the Rules for the Retail Trade of Dairy Products, Margarine and Eggs, approved by Order of the USSR Ministry of Trade dated February 9, 1973 N 36.

Shelf life:

butter in the presence of cold - up to 10 days;

melted butter in the presence of cold - 15 days, without cooling - 5 days.

Particular attention should be paid to compliance with the established deadlines for the sale of packaged oil. The deadlines for the storage of packaged butter, including storage at factories, depots, refrigerators, transportation time and storage in a retail trade network, are indicated in the Instructions of the USSR Ministry of Meat and Dairy Industry and the USSR Ministry of Trade and are:
- for butter packed in parchment - 10 days;
– packed in aluminum laminated foil – 20 days, (sandwich and with fillers – 15 days), for briquettes with a net weight of 15, 20 and 30 g – 8 days;
- packed in cups and boxes made of polymeric materials - 15 days (dessert - 20 days, table and children's - 10 days).

Shelf life and expiration dates

Shelf life of oil according to GOST 52253–2004

Paragraph B4, from the same GOST, states that:

Shelf life of sweet butter with a mass fraction of fat from 70.0% to 85.0%, produced in the pasture period of the year, packaged directly in the production process in briquettes with packaging in laminated aluminum foil, having the following microbiological indicators - QMAFAnM - 1 10 CFU /in 1 g of the product, BGKP - absent in 0.1 g of the product and organoleptic indicators - score for taste and smell - at least 9 points, for texture - at least 5 points, is 270 days at a temperature not higher than minus 18 °С and relative air humidity from 80% to 90%.

Note. The shelf life of unsalted, salted, amateur and peasant butter, which received a taste and smell score of 39-41 points upon acceptance on the refrigerator (conditionally for peasant butter), is reduced by 2-3 months, oil with a score of 37-38 points is not subject to storage.

Item B5 says that:

The shelf life of butter in consumer containers, packaged from monoliths after storage, is recommended to be set no more than the dates indicated in Table B2, and its expiration no later than the expiration date of butter in monoliths sent for packaging.

Shelf life of oil according to GOST 32261–2013

Table D1

The shelf life of oil in consumer packaging is given in Table E.2.

Table D2

Paragraph D.3, from GOST 32261–2013 supplements:

Shelf life of Traditional, Amateur and Peasant sweet butter, made during the pasture period of the year, packed directly in the production process in briquettes in laminated aluminum foil and having the following microbiological and organoleptic indicators: KMA-FanM - 1 10 CFU / 1 g of product, BGKP - absence in 0.1 g of the product, taste and smell - at least nine points, consistency - at least five points, is

Or the refrigerator does not lose its useful properties for a long time: its main component - milk fat - tolerates low temperatures well. When defrosted, the product acquires its original taste and smell, provided that the oil was stored in accordance with all the rules.

Can butter be stored in the freezer

100 g of natural butter contains:

• fat - 72.5–82.5 g;
• proteins and carbohydrates - about 1 g.

Mineral composition: selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, zinc, potassium. Vitamins: A, B2, B4, B12, D, E, K.

In order to preserve the benefits of the product for a long time, it is important to create optimal conditions for it. At a temperature of -24…-18°C, the properties of salted butter are preserved for a whole year, at -12°C - 9 months. For unsalted, the values ​​decrease to 5 and 3 months, respectively.

Storage methods

The product is kept up to 20 days in a butter dish with a tight lid, 21 days - in foil, 10 days - in parchment, within the period specified by the manufacturer - in its original packaging.

Advice! For oil, dishes made of stainless steel, ceramics, porcelain, food-grade plastic are suitable. In a glass container, it will quickly deteriorate.

At an optimum temperature of 0°C…+6°C, the product does not oxidize and does not absorb foreign odors.

In the freezer

Beforehand, the butter is cut into small pieces, each is wrapped in foil and put in a container or a tight bag.

Closed containers are placed in the freezer. As you use, get 1-2 pieces. Re-freezing is not allowed.

Package

How long you can store butter in the freezer depends on its packaging. Parchment paper loses moisture faster. The material does not protect the product from foreign odors, it forms a dark coating.

Safer options are foil and sealed plastic containers.

Shelf life

Packs of factory production are stored from 1 to 3 months.

Advice! If the expiration date is more than 90 days, this means that the product has a lot of chemical additives, due to which it does not deteriorate for a long time, but its benefits are reduced to zero.

• 10 days - in parchment;
• 15 days - in a polymer container;
• 20 days - in foil.

What do they depend on

How long oil is stored depends on its quality, proper transportation and conditions in the store.

Manufacturers indicate on the pack:

• name: "Creamy", "Peasant" or "Amateur";
• composition: cream, whole milk, salt, lactic acid bacteria;
• mass fraction of fat - not less than 72.5%;
• GOST 32261-2013.

Deviations from these indicators indicate a low-quality composition. The phrase "made according to GOST" without specific numbers is not enough. The names "Oil", "Homemade" and others indicate the presence of vegetable fats.

The expiration date depends on:

• composition;
• fat content;
• air temperature;
• packaging.

Shelf life of butter with a fat content of 72.5–82.5% according to GOST 32261-2013, in days:

The product is stored longer when:

• conservation: chemical additives extend the shelf life, but make the oil less useful or even dangerous;
• pasteurization, which destroys pathogenic microflora;
• homogenization: raw materials are made more homogeneous, thereby increasing the shelf life;
• vacuum packaging: moisture is not removed from the oil, as in the screw method, and it does not become overdried;
• sourdough: sour cream product with sourdough differs in taste and is stored longer than cream.

Storage at room temperature

The shelf life of oil without a refrigerator is no more than 20 days.

Storage methods:

1. in saline solution. The product is cut into pieces of 100–150 g, each wrapped in foil. Placed in a container and poured with a cold saline solution of 2 liters of water and 40 g of salt. Cover with a wide saucer and put under the load. The container is kept in a cool dark place. The solution is changed every day.
2. in vinegar. Oil in foil is placed in a glass jar and filled with vinegar. Close with a tight lid and keep in a dark cool place. In another variation, the pieces are wrapped in a vinegar-soaked cloth and placed in an airtight container. Pieces of refined sugar are placed on top.

Signs of bad oil

Prolonged storage of the product in the wrong conditions leads to a change in its taste, color and benefits.

Positive temperatures and light weaken the aroma, cause stale aftertaste. The oil quickly deteriorates, becomes covered with plaque, acquires a bitter odor. When fats are oxidized, aldehydes, ketones and other harmful compounds are formed.

How to check the product for freshness:

• look at the expiration date and date of manufacture;
• cut off a piece to look at the color inside: fresh oil is whitish or light yellow, the cut is shiny and dry;
• pay attention to the smell.

The main signs of a damaged product:

• bright yellow;
• bad smell;
• bitter taste.

The appearance of a yellow plaque indicates the rapid spread of bacteria. Such oil is disposed of or melted and used in baking. Sometimes a rich yellow color indicates the content of a large amount of food coloring.

Attention! When buying a dairy product on the market from dubious private producers, there is a risk of contracting an infectious disease - salmonellosis. In small industries, the quality of raw materials is poorly controlled. Salmonella in the milk of infected cows are not destroyed for 6 months.

Mold occurs if the integrity of the packaging is broken. Removing the damaged area will not save the rest of the oil: fungi penetrate deep and damage the entire product. This product is not used for food.

Conclusion

A high-quality natural product complies with the standard - GOST 32261-2013, contains milk, cream, lactic acid bacteria, salt. The inscription on the package is always clear and distinct: Butter "Creamy", "Peasant", "Amateur".

Store the product in paper-based foil, parchment, sealed containers. In the freezer keep portions.

When buying, pay attention to the expiration date, date of manufacture, the integrity of the package: crumpled packs indicate a violation of the temperature regime during transportation or in the store.

Fresh butter contains 82-84% fat and no more than 16% water, has a uniform yellowish color, when pressed with a finger, it releases water droplets, and does not crumble. If the oil releases whey, then it is poorly washed after shaking and will quickly deteriorate.

Butter is stored in the refrigerator - this is well known. The storage temperature is not higher +6 degrees.

You have 2 correct solutions:

1. If the oil packaging material has a transparent or translucent base, put the oil in an oil dish with an opaque lid. If there is no butter dish, then wrap it in foil, so it is stored longer than in parchment, and the taste will not deteriorate, as when stored in a plastic bag. We advise you to take care that there are no strong-smelling products nearby, as the oil quickly absorbs odors.
2. Otherwise, when the base is opaque, store the oil in the refrigerator in the original wrapper. As a rule, an opaque wrapper is a gluing of foil with laminated paper. This helps prevent spoilage from exposure to light and air, and also protects the oil from absorbing odors and flavors from other products.

Both salted and unsalted butter will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. If it is planned to increase the period beyond 3 weeks, the product will retain its fresh taste better if you change the packaging material or transfer it to a new plastic container or a clean plastic container.

The properties of the oil allow it to solidify well. Additionally, you can improve the protection of the oil from temperature and external influences - just wrap the product in an additional shell, heavy-duty polyethylene film or a tightly closed bag.

Properly wrapped salted butter will keep well in the freezer. up to one year. After that, he may start to lose the fresh creamy taste and pick up other smells or flavors from the freezer. Unsalted butter will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

When buying a product, immediately pay attention to shelf life. Moreover, by the time of your purchase, the oil has been in the store for more than a day. If you buy packaged oil in parchment or foil, then the expiration date should be indicated on the package. As a rule, portioned butter in parchment paper is stored 10 days, in foil - 20 days.

How to increase the shelf life of butter?

Many families buy oil for the long term, because it is a product of daily necessity and it is better to have it in reserve just in case.

1. The freezer will help extend the shelf life. In it, at temperatures up to -18 degrees oil can be stored for up to a year. For convenience, we recommend that you immediately divide the butter into portioned pieces, put them on a flat surface (cutting board, baking sheet) and freeze. Then just put all the pieces in a bag and store in the freezer. As soon as you need oil, you can easily get the right amount for cooking.
2. In the warm season, in the absence of a refrigerator, butter can be stored for 3 weeks. To do this, divide the butter into small pieces. (200 g each) and wrap in parchment paper. Put the pieces in an enamel pan, pour over the brine (20 g of salt per 1 liter of water), cover with a plate and press down (for example, with a water bottle). Store the oil pan in a dark, cool place (closet or cellar).
3. Another way to store without refrigeration is to pack the butter tightly in a clean jar, pour in the brine as above or 2 tablespoons of 5% vinegar and take it to a dark cellar. Oil in a jar can also be stored for three weeks.

In principle, butter can be stored at room temperature, as long as it is not exposed to direct sunlight, which kills almost all of its value, and the butter itself turns yellow.

I suggest watching an interesting video on how to distinguish high-quality butter from a spread.

During the period of colds and flu, doctors recommend eating 60 grams of butter per day, because this product is a real storehouse of vitamins and macronutrients.

How to store butter, what is the shelf life of this product? Butter is a product that is used by almost everyone. It is fried on it, sandwiches are made, it is a frequent ingredient in many types of pastries. Therefore, it is quite reasonable that the question arises about the shelf life and storage of this dairy product.

Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh cream or milk until it reaches a solid form. It is most commonly made from cow's milk, but can also be made from sheep, goat, buffalo and yak milk.

According to GOST 32261-2013, butter is produced in two types: sweet cream and sour cream, which in turn are divided into salted and unsalted. The main difference between these two types of butter is in the raw materials that are used in the production of butter.

Sweet butter is made from cream, while sweet and sour butter is made from cream fermented with lactic acid bacteria.

According to the percentage of milk fat, it is divided into three main types:

traditional;

Amateur;

Peasant.

Shelf life of butter

The expiration date is the date after which the oil cannot be supplied for sale to the distribution network. It depends on the type of oil, the percentage of fat, the form of packaging. Below are tables of the expiration date of butter, depending on the packaging.

For 24 months, the oil can be stored at a temperature not higher than -25 degrees.

It is more difficult to track the shelf life of oil that the manufacturer has already shipped to the distribution network in a box. If it is stored in the store at a temperature of 3 ± 2 degrees, then the shelf life is only 10 days.

Shelf life table for butter in individual packaging

These expiration dates also apply to oil that was packed in individual packaging at the enterprise from blocks no later than the expiration date of their expiration date.

The shelf life of oil produced during the pasture period, regardless of the type and content of milk fat, and which was packaged and packaged immediately in foil and meets all microbiological and organoleptic indicators, is 270 days, provided that the temperature regime is not higher than minus 18 degrees and relative humidity in the range of 70-90 percent.

How to store butter

All foods spoil faster if they are not stored properly as required, causing them to spoil before their expiration date. But you need to remember that many products have a longer shelf life if the manufacturer guarantees their quality. This also applies to butter, even if you bought it on the last day of the expiration date indicated on the package. Under proper storage conditions before purchase, the oil can remain safe for some time. Yet most of us do not buy several packs of butter at once. The main thing after the purchase was ensured proper storage at home.

On each package, the manufacturer always indicates the storage conditions of his product, depending on temperature and humidity.

Butter is a product that absorbs any odors well. Therefore, it is imperative to store the oil at home in the refrigerator separately from products with a sharp and specific odor. This is either a butter dish with a lid, or wrap the butter in foil, parchment.

How to store butter in the refrigerator

As a rule, in modern refrigerators, the temperature is maintained in the range from minus 1 to plus 6 degrees, depending on the brand of the unit. It also depends on the model where the lowest temperature in the refrigerator compartment is. In many modern models, this temperature is the bottom of the refrigerator chamber.

If you bought butter by weight and a large piece, then when you come home, it is better to immediately divide it into smaller portions that can be used within a few days.

Each piece of loose butter must be wrapped in foil or parchment. The one that you will use can be put in a butter dish. The rest, wrapped in foil or parchment, put in the freezer.

At a temperature of 0 to plus 6 degrees, butter wrapped in parchment can be stored for about a week. In foil, the shelf life without visible signs of deterioration under the same conditions can be as long as 2 weeks.

You can extend the shelf life by placing the oil on the shelf with the lowest temperature.

How to store butter in the freezer

The freezer significantly extends the shelf life. Modern freezers maintain temperatures down to minus 18-24 degrees.

Before you send the oil to the freezer, you need to take care that it does not absorb the smells of the products stored nearby.

If the oil was bought not in individual packaging, but by weight, it must be wrapped in foil or parchment. Then put the oil in a bag or container with a lid. This is guaranteed to protect it from foreign odors.

The shelf life of butter in the freezer is long and ranges from six months to 9 months.

How to store butter without refrigeration

There are situations in life, for example, when you go on a road trip or a hike. How to keep the freshness of the oil in this case? There is a way out: you need to fill it with plain cold or salt water.

In the first case, the oil is placed in a jar with a lid and poured with ordinary cold water. In this case, you need to change the water twice a day.

In the second case, prepare salt water by taking a tablespoon of salt per liter of cold water. Water is changed once a day.

You can pour oil both in expanded form, and wrapping portioned pieces in parchment.

Some housewives store the oil in vinegar. To do this, vinegar is diluted with water and a clean cotton cloth is moistened in it, in which pieces of oil are then wrapped.

Then they need to be put in a jar or pan and put a piece of refined sugar.

You can fill it with water, acidified with table vinegar.

For several days, the oil can be stored in a jar, which is placed in a pot of cold water. Cover the neck of the jar with a damp cotton cloth and dip the ends into a pot of water. Top cover with a lid.

How to extend the shelf life of oil

Do not leave butter on the table at room temperature for a long time. So it deteriorates faster. Immediately after use, put the remaining piece in the refrigerator.

Store the oil inside the refrigerator compartment and not on the door, where temperature changes occur more often due to the opening and closing of the refrigerator.

Oil that you will not use soon is better to put in the freezer.

Remember that proper storage of any food is a guarantee of health safety and reduction of your family expenses.

How to determine if the oil is spoiled

Proper storage in compliance with all requirements helps to avoid food poisoning.

The most reliable way to tell if butter has gone bad is by looking at your own sensory experience. Spoiled oil may become moldy, will have an odor that is not characteristic of this product: it may be musty, pungent, smell of dampness. Butter may not retain its original shape: spread, become heavier than the actual weight of the piece.

If the oil can still be saved, then it is necessary to cut off the damaged areas on all sides and melt it.

Butter is a useful and healthy product that most of us use every day. How safe it will be for our health depends on us how we store it.

You can freeze butter.

Butter at the same time "stones", and vegetable oil usually thickens. Upon returning to normal temperatures, both oils regain their original structure.

Keep in mind that butter absorbs odors, so you need to think carefully about the container for it. A cellophane bag on top of the packaging is fine. Vegetable oil should be well covered.

It is desirable that the freezing was single. Before freezing, having a large piece or a large bottle of oil, pre-sort them into portions so that the main volume of the product is stored once frozen at a constant temperature.

★★★★★★★★★★

Butter can be stored in the freezer for 6 months (and sometimes more) without compromising its taste and quality. In the days of the USSR, butter was sold frozen in boxes of 20-25 kg, stored in freezers; it was taken out as needed, cut with fishing line, and sold to enthusiastic Soviet buyers.

The same can be said about vegetable oil, in particular sunflower oil. Frozen vegetable oil thickens and acquires the consistency of lard. But if you take it out of the freezer and put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, it "thaws" and returns to its original taste and texture. However, vegetable oil should not be frozen several times. It spoils and becomes bitter.

But if freezing butter extends its shelf life, then sending vegetable oil to the freezer for this purpose is absolutely useless.

At negative temperatures, the components of vegetable oil are not preserved, and freezing does not affect the shelf life of the oil.

However, store vegetable oil in a dark place at room temperature. When heated, its useful qualities disappear.

★★★★★★★★★★

Can butter and vegetable olive oil be frozen?

I remember freezing butter from childhood. Now we store this oil in the refrigerator. But we store the vegetable like this, at room temperature without access to light. Although I tried to store on the balcony. Nothing happened to him, only a little thickened, turned white inside. After it warmed up, it returned to normal.
Olive oil will also withstand freezing (refrigeration to -30C and below). But, since it is not refined, it is likely that an insoluble precipitate will fall out. However, this will not greatly affect the quality.

Butter and vegetable oil can be frozen.

Is it possible to freeze butter and vegetable oil?

I didn’t try to freeze vegetable, but what’s the point if it’s in an airtight container? I worked at a factory, they didn’t do this, although there is a technology of cold pressing and freezing (vintarization) during extraction, but that’s not the point. Yes, and what will happen to him, well, if natural and squeezing, the precipitate will fall out, but the technology is old and practically not used. The main thing is to put it in a dark place, put it on the table so that there is no access to the sun. And here is butter. I'll tell you a secret here. I worked at a dairy plant, I know the system. The principle is this. In the season when there was a lot of milk and it was cheap, butter was made, its cost was low, then it was frozen, and this was done not only by manufacturers, but also by companies that were engaged in the sale of products. It was stored for six months in refrigerators, and when it was out of season and the price rose, the sale began. To be honest, the product did not lose its commercial qualities.

Little secret. If you freeze the butter, and then try to cut it frozen, the real butter will break, crumble and chip off, and there will be nothing from the cold in plasticine with palm fat, and the more this fat is, the greater the plasticity of the oil in the frozen state. A great way to check what you are being sold under the guise of butter. There is one more secret though. The big manufacturers don't make real butter. The natural product is small factories and farms, but there are only a few of them, they sell for the elite, it’s very difficult to find, it’s impossible for large retailers and the cost is an order of magnitude higher. And everything on the shelves is 99.9% surrogate