Compositional Dynamics of Lipid and Phospholipid Profiles during Milk Transport and Processing: Implications for Butter Quality and Stability

Abstract

Butter quality is strongly influenced by its lipid composition, particularly phospholipids, which significantly affect emulsification, texture, and sensory attributes despite their low abundance (0.6–1.0% of milk fat). This study analyzed shifts in lipid profiles─including triacylglycerols (TAG), diacylglycerols (DAG), and key phospholipids─throughout milk handling and butter production. Samples collected over 7 weeks were assessed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Lipid levels decreased substantially during early milk storage and transport, with sphingomyelin content dropping from 2.46% in raw milk to 0.35% in butter, while TAG concentrations rose to 99.04%. Phospholipids were largely lost to the buttermilk fraction during churning. These results emphasize the susceptibility of lipids to processing conditions and suggest that optimizing storage and thermal treatments could preserve critical lipid fractions, enhancing butter’s nutritional value, stability, and sensory quality.