Butter

oilyolly

Could anyone explain what our consumer rights are when it comes down to changing the ingredients of our food stuff. Lots of brands of butter must have changed their ingredients but there is no obvious sign on the packaging. How i have noticed is I do a lot of baking and just lately when i try to cream together with sugar it WONT cream.   After making pastry it tastes disgusting ( like oil) and leaves an oily taste in your mouth. Has anyone else noticed.🥴

FlorayG

Butter is butter - it only HAS one ingredient. Possibly the butter you are buying is 'off'? 

DiamondLil

I have the same problem with some butter brands and with some cheddar cheese brands.

The butter stays hard at room temperature, won't spread nor cream when baking, and the cheese won't melt properly - it just turns into a lumpy, claggy mess.

Also had the same problem with chocolate - some brands won't melt into a smooth consistency but, again, turn into a lumpy, claggy mess.

I read somewhere that palm oil in cattle feed is responsible, which ends up in the milk used in those products.

Doonhamer

Sorry what, it's cream and maybe salt? I know it can be a bit different in the spring when the cows first head out on grass again versus the winter if they're on hay etc. 

FlorayG

DiamondLil said:

I read somewhere that palm oil in cattle feed is responsible, which ends up in the milk used in those products.

That is a possibility but there's no way the end user can ascertain what the cows were fed - in fact, most butter is made with milk from various sources, so if this is the truth of the case one batch may be poor and the next, made with milk from a different source, perfectly fine

DullGreyGuy

FlorayG said:

Butter is butter - it only HAS one ingredient. Possibly the butter you are buying is 'off'? 

Salt is a common ingredient and a few (lurpack, Président etc) use a lactic culture too.

Thats assuming you are buying a block of butter rather than a tub of "spreadable butter" or something else which often have other substances added to achieve their claims. 

Brie

I was under the impression that all food sold in the UK (& many other places too!) had to list all the ingredients.  So if your butter is no longer just milk solids or cream and salt then that will be listed on the package.  So milk, palm oil and salt might now be listed.

And some manufacturers will put some bold flash on a package to say "new and improved" to hope to sell more but otherwise it's up to individuals to read the ingredients.  

Rosa_Damascena

DullGreyGuy said:

FlorayG said:

Butter is butter - it only HAS one ingredient. Possibly the butter you are buying is 'off'? 

Salt is a common ingredient and a few (lurpack, Président etc) use a lactic culture too.

Thats assuming you are buying a block of butter rather than a tub of "spreadable butter" or something else which often have other substances added to achieve their claims. 

Spreadables may be UPF but at least they are consistent.

I'm a bit concerned by the OP, have bought 3 packs of butter in the last week for the express purpose of baking. OP - can you share a picture of the wrapper? There's no reason for its physical properties to change in the way you have described.

flaneurs_lobster

Not really on topic but The Guardian did a taste test on unsalted butters at the w/end

https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/15/best-unsalted-butter-food-filter-benjamina-ebuehi

Rosa_Damascena

flaneurs_lobster said:

Not really on topic but The Guardian did a taste test on unsalted butters at the w/end

https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2025/mar/15/best-unsalted-butter-food-filter-benjamina-ebuehi

I have the M&S and Lidl West Country slightly salted in my fridge. If I was planning on throwing away £6 I could have bought ready-made cake instead!

HillStreetBlues

There was this a few months ago
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8rjdgre3vpo