Fresh butter flavor · compound library & formulation

Editor

15 Feb 2026 • 9 min read

Credit: freepik.com

The flavor compounds listed here are suggested by Judith Michalski, a well-known flavorist in the United States in the book "Successful Flavors". Provided in addition to the names are their fema numbers and flavor descriptors and suggested usage levels for making a fresh butter flavor.

Fresh butter · compiled compound library & formulation

🧈 Fresh butter · unified compound library

alphabetical order with FEMA numbers, descriptors & suggested levels (ppm in finished product)

Compound	FEMA	Flavor descriptors (fresh butter context)	Suggested usage (ppm)
1-octen-3-ol	2805	Mushroom, earthy, fungal, oily, raw	0.2–1
2,3-hexanedione	2558	Buttery, sweet, caramel, creamy, toasted, slightly sharp	1–4
2,3-pentanedione	2841	Strong buttery, creamy, sweet, nutty, toasted, caramelic	1–5
2,4-decadienal	3135	Deep fried, fatty, waxy, oxidized, chicken fat	0.02–0.2 (ppb range)
2-acetyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine	3329	Nutty, roasted, earthy, cocoa, baked potato, coffee	0.2–2
2-acetylfuran	3163	Sweet, nutty, bready, roasted, coffee, slightly smoky	1–5
2-acetylpyrazine	3126	Popcorn, nutty, roasted, toasted bread, corn chip	0.5–3
2-acetylthiazole	3328	Popcorn, nutty, roasted, cereal, meaty, sulfury	0.3–2
2-heptanone	2544	Cheesy, fruity, ketonic, waxy, blue cheese nuance	1–8
2-nonanol	3315	Waxy, clean, fatty, green melon, creamy, faint citrus	0.3–2.5
2-tridecanone	3388	Waxy, dairy, coconut, fatty, cheesy, earthy, hay	1–6
2-undecanone	3093	Waxy, fruity, creamy, fatty, green rindy, floral	0.5–4
3,4-xylenol	— (alt. 3495)	Phenolic, medicinal, smoky, woody, tarry	0.01–0.1
3-methyl pentanoic acid	3437	Sweaty, cheesy, sour, fermented, animal, fruity nuance	1–6
4-ethyl octanoic acid	— (3575, 4-methyl analog)	Goaty, fatty, waxy, animal, mutton, cheesy	0.5–3
4-ethyl phenol	3156	Phenolic, smoky, medicinal, leather, barnyard	0.05–0.5
5,6-decenoic acid	3742	Waxy, creamy, peach-like, dairy, milky, soapy	1–5
5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline	— (similar 3321)	Nutty, roasted, popcorn, earthy, pyrazine-like	0.2–1.5
acetaldehyde	2003	Pungent, ethereal, fresh green, fruity, yogurt	1–4
acetoin	2008	Creamy, buttery, fatty, milky, yogurt, slight sour	15–50
butyl undecenoate	— (4622 undecylenate)	Waxy, fatty, fruity, slightly metallic	0.5–3
butyric acid	2221	Rancid, cheesy, butter, creamy at low dose, fermented	8–25
cis-4-heptenal	3289	Creamy, milky, fatty, oily, vegetative, fresh dairy	0.005–0.1 (ppb–low ppb)
cis-6-dodecen-4-olide	— (lactone, similar to 3780)	Creamy, coconut, waxy, fatty, dairy, peach	2–10
cyclotene	2700	Caramel, maple, sweet, burnt sugar, brown, seasoning	5–20
decanoic acid	2364	Fatty, soapy, waxy, cheesy, goat-like, rancid	2–12
delta-decalactone	2361	Creamy, coconut, peach, fatty, rich milky	5–20
delta-dodecalactone	2401	Strong creamy, coconut, buttery, waxy, dairy	5–18
delta-hexanedione (likely δ-hexalactone)	3167	Creamy, coconut, sweet, dairy, waxy	2–10
delta-nonalactone	3356	Coconut, creamy, milky, waxy, coumarinic	3–15
delta-tetradecalactone	3590	Fatty, waxy, creamy, rich mouthfeel, peach skin	3–15
diacetyl	2370	Intense buttery, creamy, artificial butter, pungent	3–8
dimethyl sulfide	2746	Sweet corn, creamy, milky, sulfurous, tomato, fresh	0.1–0.5
ethyl butyrate	2427	Fruity, pineapple, banana, sweet, ethereal, juicy	1–5
ethyl caproate (ethyl hexanoate)	2439	Powerful fruity, pineapple, banana, waxy, sweet, winey	0.5–4
furaneol	3174	Sweet, caramel, cotton candy, burnt sugar, fruity	5–25
furfural	2489	Sweet, almond, baked bread, burnt, caramelic, nutty	2–12
gamma-butyrolactone	3291	Creamy, fatty, caramelic, slightly fruity, coconut	5–20
heptanoic acid	3348	Rancid, fatty, cheesy, sweaty, waxy, sour	1–7
hexanoic acid	2559	Sweaty, cheesy, fatty, goat, pungent, waxy	2–12
indole	2593	Animal, fecal (trace), floral in dilution, complexing	0.01–0.05 (trace)
isopentanoic acid (3-methylbutanoic)	3102	Sweaty, cheesy, rancid, fermented, dirty dairy	1–8
lactic acid	2611	Mild sour, yogurt, tangy, dairy, creamy	20–100 (acidulant)
lauric acid	2614	Waxy, fatty, mild soapy, creamy, bay oil	2–12
maltol	2656	Sweet, caramel, cotton candy, fruity, creamy enhancer	8–35
methanethiol	2716	Sulfurous, rotten egg, cabbage, cooked, pungent	0.005–0.05 (ppb)
methyldihydrocyclopentapyrazine	— (related 3309)	Nutty, roasted, coffee, cocoa, earthy, popcorn	0.2–2
myristic acid	2764	Waxy, faintly oily, soapy, fatty background	2–12
nonanal	2782	Waxy, fatty, citrus, green, fresh, oily, floral	0.2–2
nonanoic acid	2784	Fatty, waxy, cheesy, nutty, green animal	1–8
octanoic acid	2799	Fatty, waxy, rancid, cheesy, sweaty, fruity	1–10
oleic acid	2815	Fatty, oily, lard-like, smooth	2–15
p-cresol	2337	Phenolic, medicinal, animal, woody, tar-like	0.02–0.1
palmitic acid	2832	Nearly odorless, waxy, adds body and fatty perception	2–15
skatole	3019	Fecal, animal, floral at extreme dilution, complexing	0.005–0.02 (ppb)
stearic acid	3035	Odorless, waxy, adds fatty mouthfeel	2–15
sulfurol (2-furanmethanethiol)	3163	Roasted coffee, meaty, sulfurous, burnt, popcorn	0.01–0.1
t-2-hexanal (trans-2-hexenal)	2560	Green, leafy, apple, fruity, fresh	0.2–1.5
t-2-hexenol (trans-2-hexenol)	2562	Green, leafy, fruity, winey, fresh	0.2–1.5
vanillin	3107	Sweet, creamy, vanilla, heliotrope, smooth	8–40

🧂 Fresh butter · 5 dominant + 18 minor notes

sweet creamy buttery milky corn sweet animal brown cabbage caramel cooked milky cultured dirty fatty fruity goaty green oily oxidized phenolic rancid soapy sulfurous waxy

🍬 sweet · caramel · brown

Vanillin 10–25, maltol 15–30, furaneol 8–20, cyclotene 5–15, furfural 2–8, 2-acetylfuran 1–4, 2,3-hexanedione 2–4. Builds sweet/caramel/brown foundation.

🧈 buttery · creamy · milky

Diacetyl 4–7, acetoin 25–45, butyric acid 12–20, δ-decalactone 6–18, δ-dodecalactone 4–12, δ-nonalactone 3–10, cis-4-heptenal 0.01–0.05, γ-butyrolactone 5–15. Creamy milky core.

🌽 corn sweet · cabbage · sulfurous

Dimethyl sulfide 0.2–0.5, methanethiol 0.01–0.03, sulfurol 0.02–0.08. Provides corn, cooked cabbage, sulfur complexity.

🐐 animal · goaty · rancid · phenolic

Skatole 0.005–0.02, indole 0.01–0.04, p-cresol 0.02–0.08, 4-ethylphenol 0.05–0.2, 3,4-xylenol 0.02–0.08, 4-ethyl octanoic acid 1–3, isopentanoic acid 1–5, 3-methyl pentanoic acid 1–5. Adds dirty/goaty/animal depth.

🕯️ fatty · waxy · soapy · oxidized

Decanoic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, nonanoic, octanoic, heptanoic acids 2–12 ppm each. 2,4-decadienal 0.02–0.1, 2-nonanol 0.5–2, 2-undecanone 0.5–3, 2-tridecanone 1–4, nonanal 0.2–1, cis-6-dodecen-4-olide 2–8.

🍏 fruity · green · cultured

Ethyl butyrate 1–4, ethyl caproate 0.5–3, t-2-hexenal 0.2–1, t-2-hexenol 0.2–1, 1-octen-3-ol 0.2–0.8, acetaldehyde 1–3, lactic acid 30–70 (cultured tang), 2-heptanone 2–6 (fruity/cheesy).

🍿 nutty · popcorn · roasted

2-acetylpyrazine 0.5–2.5, 2-acetyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine 0.3–1.5, 2-acetylthiazole 0.3–1.5, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline 0.3–1.5, methyldihydrocyclopentapyrazine 0.2–1.5. Adds nutty/popcorn nuance.

⚙️ formulation workflow – fresh butter (compiled list)

Fatty/waxy background: blend C8–C18 acids (decanoic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, nonanoic, octanoic, heptanoic) ≈ 25–50 ppm total. Add 2-nonanol, nonanal, δ-C6/C8 lactones, cis-6-dodecen-4-olide for waxy depth.
Buttery/creamy heart: diacetyl 4–6 ppm, acetoin 30–45 ppm, butyric acid 12–18 ppm, δ-decalactone 8–15 ppm, δ-dodecalactone 5–12 ppm, γ-butyrolactone 6–15 ppm, cis-4-heptenal 0.02 ppm.
Sweet/caramel/brown: vanillin 12–20, maltol 15–25, furaneol 8–15, furfural 3–8, 2-acetylfuran 1–3, 2,3-hexanedione 2–3, cyclotene 5–12.
Corn sweet / sulfurous: DMS 0.2–0.4 ppm, methanethiol 0.01–0.02 ppm, sulfurol 0.02–0.06 ppm.
Animal/phenolic/goaty traces: skatole 0.005–0.01, indole 0.01–0.03, p-cresol 0.02–0.06, 4-ethylphenol 0.05–0.15, 3,4-xylenol 0.02–0.06, 4-ethyl octanoic acid 1–3, isopentanoic acid 2–5, 3-methyl pentanoic acid 2–5.
Fruity/green/cultured: ethyl butyrate 1–3, ethyl caproate 0.5–2, t-2-hexenal 0.3–1, t-2-hexenol 0.3–1, 1-octen-3-ol 0.2–0.8, acetaldehyde 1–3, lactic acid 30–60, 2-heptanone 2–5.
Nutty/popcorn accent: 2-acetylpyrazine 0.5–1.5, 2-acetylthiazole 0.3–1, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline 0.3–1, etc.
Oxidized/oily nuance: 2,4-decadienal 0.02–0.1 ppm – very subtle.
Integration & balance: allow 24h maturation, check for soapy (reduce lauric/decanoic if needed), rancid (butyric/hexanoic), and ensure corn sweet is clear but not sulfury. The 18 minor notes naturally arise from this blend.

✔ This unified list includes all compounds you provided. Levels are starting recommendations – sensory optimization essential. Adjust to highlight desired accents.

📌 FEMA numbers based on known identities. δ-hexanedione interpreted as δ-hexalactone (FEMA 3167). cis-6-dodecen-4-olide is a creamy lactone. Use levels as guidelines.

Formulation Strategy for Fresh Butter

The document provides a structured, multi-layered approach to building the complex fresh butter profile using your complete list of compounds. The five dominant notes are constructed with specific chemical families, while the 18 minor notes emerge from the careful balance of these same ingredients.

Sweet, Caramel, Brown Foundation: Built with vanillin, maltol, furaneol, cyclotene, furfural, 2-acetylfuran, and 2,3-hexanedione.
Buttery and Creamy Core: Driven by diacetyl, acetoin, butyric acid, and a blend of key lactones (δ-decalactone, δ-dodecalactone, γ-butyrolactone), with cis-4-heptenal adding a fresh creamy lift.
Corn Sweet and Sulfurous Notes: Provided by low levels of dimethyl sulfide (DMS), methanethiol, and sulfurol.
Fatty, Waxy Foundation: A broad blend of fatty acids (C8–C18) and waxy alcohols/aldehydes/lactones creates body.
Animal, Phenolic, and Goaty Depth: Minute, precise amounts of skatole, indole, p-cresol, 4-ethylphenol, and branched-chain acids (4-ethyl octanoic, isopentanoic, 3-methyl pentanoic) add realism and complexity.
Fruity, Green, and Cultured Accents: Ethyl esters, t-2-hexenal/ol, acetaldehyde, and lactic acid provide freshness and a tangy cultured note.
Nutty, Popcorn Nuance: A selection of pyrazines and thiazole adds a roasted dimension.
Oxidized Nuance: A trace of 2,4-decadienal adds a subtle, realistic fatty-oily character.

The tables organize all these elements, allowing you to reference specific compounds and their suggested levels as you iteratively test and balance the formula to achieve the desired harmony of dominant and minor notes.

How is fresh cream commercially manufactured?

Commercial butter production is a mechanical process that concentrates milk fat by churning cream until the fat separates from the liquid (buttermilk). Modern plants use continuous systems for speed, consistency, and hygiene.

Here’s how fresh butter is typically made at industrial scale:

1. Cream Separation

Raw milk arrives at the dairy plant and is spun in a centrifugal separator to isolate cream from skim milk.

Cream fat is standardized to about 35–40% milk fat for butter production.
Skim milk is diverted for other products.

2. Pasteurization

The cream is pasteurized to destroy pathogens and improve shelf life.

Typical industrial range:

85–95°C (185–203°F) for short time
Rapidly cooled afterward

This also improves butter flavor stability.

3. (Optional) Culturing for Flavor

If producing cultured butter, the pasteurized cream is inoculated with lactic acid bacteria such as:

Lactococcus lactis
Leuconostoc mesenteroides

The cream ferments for several hours before churning, developing:

Slight acidity
Buttery, nutty flavor (from diacetyl)

Uncultured butter (often called sweet cream butter) skips this step.

4. Churning (The Critical Step)

Cream is churned in large continuous butter machines.

During churning:

Fat globule membranes rupture
Fat droplets stick together
Butter granules form
Liquid buttermilk separates

This is a physical phase inversion:

From fat-in-water emulsion (cream)
To water-in-fat emulsion (butter)

5. Buttermilk Removal

The liquid buttermilk is drained off.

Commercial plants often:

Wash the butter grains with cold water
Remove excess moisture and lactose
Improve shelf life

6. Working & Kneading

The butter is mechanically kneaded to:

Distribute moisture evenly
Create smooth texture
Adjust final water content (~16–18%)

Salt may be added at this stage (usually 1–2%).

7. Shaping & Packaging

The butter is:

Formed into blocks or sticks
Wrapped in foil or parchment
Stored at refrigeration temperature

Industrial systems can produce thousands of kilograms per hour.

Key Differences: Commercial vs Homemade Butter

Commercial butter is:

More consistent in moisture
Precisely standardized in fat content
Produced in continuous churns
More shelf-stable

Homemade butter:

Often has higher moisture
Less uniform texture
No standardized working step

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