Butter concentrates: Innovative solutions to substitute AA butter

Food manufacturers and processors are continuously searching for innovative solutions to enhance flavor, ensure quality and reduce costs while maintaining simple ingredients label.​

One key ingredient that is widely used in food applications is butter, a very volatile commodity ingredient. Butter consumption has been on the rise in the US for the last four decades. Even so, butter remains an essential ingredient – both for food processors and for consumers. 

Food processors using AA butter face ever-fluctuating prices of the dairy ingredient and costs incurred for cold storage. And while some food processors attempt to cut costs by using butter flavors, the authentic dairy flavor and mouthfeel associated with butter are difficult to emulate, even with the best natural dairy flavors.

For consumers, the perception of butter has shifted over the years. Thanks to recently debunked myths, even the most health-conscious consumers now know that butter does not need to be avoided as once thought.

During and post COVID-19, consumers showed a new appreciation for nostalgic comfort foods. It has also brought increased awareness of healthy food consumption, including the growing demand for clean label food options. 

That is where First Choice Ingredients comes in. The fermentation experts in the heart of America’s Dairyland have been providing innovative, authentic dairy solutions to its partners for over 25 years.

First Choice has perfected a proprietary fermentation technology allowing the creation of Butter 111504P: a butter delivering five times the flavor impact of AA butter while providing the cost savings food processors have come to expect from First Choice Ingredients. The best part? The label statement is as clean as it gets: butter. 

Following the success of Butter 111504P, First Choice wanted to offer more flexibility through the launch of Butter 5X which offers a solution to clean label demands from consumers. Butter 5X Concentrate is packed five times the flavor impact compared to AA Butter and boasts a clean and simple label statement: Butter, Natural Flavor. 

Created in collaboration with butter experts and produced in an AA butter facility, these butter concentrates offer 5 times the impact of butter and meet the same nutritional benefits as butter and can be used in any formula that uses butter at one fifth the use rate.

These concentrates will mitigate volatile butter prices, while maintaining rich, indulgent butter flavor with a simple ingredient statement. This versatility allows for their use in both low-fat applications, where they deliver a rich butter profile with reduced fat, calories, and cholesterol, as well as in full-fat applications where they enhance the overall flavor profile. 

Cost-efficiency and versatility​ 

Offering a stable, cost-effective alternative while yielding a flavor impact 50 to 70 times that of standard butter, these butter concentrates can help mitigate the volatile pricing of commodity butter that pose challenges for companies.

Proven success in various applications​ 

The effectiveness of these butter concentrates has been validated through rigorous testing in real-world applications. For instance, a recent case study carried out in February 2024 involved the use of Concentrated Butter 5X and Butter 111504P in Alfredo sauce.

The results showed both products not only matched the overall flavor liking of traditional AA butter but also, in the case of Concentrated Butter 5X, surpassed it in consumer preference. This outcome underscores the ability of these concentrates to deliver parity or even improved taste profiles compared to conventional butter, while offering substantial cost savings. 

Beyond sensory and consumer testing, FCI’s Alfredo Sauce formulation was tested for feasibility in high-temperature processing and results showed great stability in retort, a septic and stovetop. 

In bakery applications, the success of these concentrates is equally noteworthy. Tests have shown that both Butter 111504P and Concentrated Butter 5X can replicate the desirable buttery profile of full butter controls, ensuring that the final product retains the rich, authentic taste that consumers love.

Additionally, these concentrates have been effective in a variety of other applications, including cookies, cakes, candies, and cheese-based products, making them a versatile ingredient for any food manufacturer. Moreover, these concentrates are handled like butter in a solid paste-like format with a shelf life ranging from six to 12 months. 

A bright future for butter concentrates​ 

No matter how you break it down, AA butter is a delicious nuisance. But it does not have to be. With Butter 111504P and 5X from First Choice Ingredients, the food industry has a new avenue to combat the complexities of using AA butter and consumers’ increasing demand for clean label foods. Food processors and consumers will delight in the flavor, enhancement, cost effectiveness, and clean label provided by these revolutionary concentrates. 

As food and beverage companies continue to seek innovative more solutions that balance flavor, functionality and cost, the introduction of Concentrated Butter 5X and Butter 111504P represents a significant step forward.

First Choice ingredients – a company of dsm-firmenich – offers a unique and compelling alternative to traditional butter, providing the same sensory experience while delivering on the essential metrics of cost efficiency and ingredient simplicity. 

Find out more about how butter concentrates can achieve cost efficiency, clean label, and authentic butter flavor across various applications.​