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The Household Foam Test for Butter and Oleomargarine

From the Laboratory of Agricultural Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison

ABSTRACT

One of the household tests for distinguishing between butter, and oleomargarine and renovated butter is the "foam test" described in Farmers' Bulletin No. 131, United States Department of Agriculture. Butter when heated boils quietly with the abundant production of foam, whereas oleomargarine and renovated butter sputter and do not produce so much foam. As no explanation for this difference, so far as we know, has ever been given, it was considered worth while to investigate the cause underlying this phenomenon. Further, with an explanation of the factors involved a more intelligent application and interpretation of the test is possible.

The possibility that the foaming of butter might be caused by some volatile compounds other than water was first considered, but was soon eliminated in the following manner:

The butter was warmed to 60°C, the butter fat decanted off and filtered, and the brine saved. The butter fat when heated did not foam, nor did it foam when water was carefully emulsified in it.