Functional butter for reduction of consumption risk and improvement of nutrition

Butter has become renowned among consumers because of its exceptional flavor and taste. Nevertheless, conventional butter is deemed “unhealthy” due to its high concentration of saturated fats and cholesterol, which are linked to the development of cardiovascular ailments. Improving the health benefits of butter has become an essential topic of research in the butter industry. This review focuses on researches that have made improvements to functionality of butter, including the changes in fatty acid composition, cholesterol reduction, incorporation with bioactive substances, development of new sources. The reduction of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol in butter can help reduce the risk of disease from eating butter. In addition, incorporating probiotics or natural plant extracts can achieve nutritional functions such as balancing intestinal flora, enhancing nutrient absorption, and increasing the body's antioxidant capacity. Butter substitute products can be based on new vegetable oils, insect fats or microbial fats, which cater to the consumer demands for low-calorie butter while reducing the environmental impact that results from butter production. This review summarizes the effects and characteristics of various improvement methods and proposes some possible directions for future development of functional butter.