A comparison of butter texture measurements with the AP 4/2 penetrometer and TA.XT. Plus texture analyzer

The main aim of this study was to compare the values of selected textural attributes of commercial butter measured with the AP 4/2 cone penetrometer (VEB Feinmess, Germany) and TA.XT Plus texture analyzer (Stable Micro Systems, United Kingdom). Before the analysis, butter samples were stored at a temperature of 8.0 ± 0.5°C for 7 days. The samples were tempered in a water bath in the Binder KB 115 cooled incubator (10.0 ± 0.5°C) for 24 h before the measurements to stabilize their temperature. A total of 18 butter samples with 82% fat content were analyzed. This study demonstrated that butter produced in winter can differ in textural parameters. The results of the measurements conducted with all instruments and probes were highly correlated, and the correlation coefficient reached r = 0.7–0.9 at p < .05. The regression curves well quantified the relationships between the experimental data generated by two measuring systems: firmness measured with the wire cutter probe (WCP) and the P/5 cylinder probe (P/5CP) in the TA.XT Plus texture analyzer (70.49%), and firmness measured with the AP 4/2 cone probe (AP 4/2 CP) and P/5CP (TA.XT Plus) (79.96%). The results of this study indicated that the values of the textural properties of butter measured with different analysis systems can be compared. Penetration tests conducted with the use of AP 4/2 CP or P/5CP (TA.XT Plus) can be rapid and easy to perform, and they can be effectively replaced shear tests.