Everything starts with milk—an ordinary liquid that undergoes a sophisticated transformation, much like the innovations showcased at the International Bakery Exhibition. Milk is about 87% water, with the remainder consisting of proteins, lactose, and most importantly, milk fat. This fat doesn't simply float freely; it’s enclosed in countless fat globules, each wrapped in a natural membrane that keeps the fat evenly dispersed and prevents separation.

The journey to butter begins with bringing these fat globules together.

Modern industry mainly uses centrifugation to extract milk fat. Raw milk is spun at high speed in a centrifuge, where heavier skim milk moves outward, while lighter cream (containing about 35–40% milk fat) gathers at the center. This efficient method allows modern equipment to process tens of thousands of liters per hour.

In contrast, the traditional method of letting milk sit for hours allows fat to rise naturally to form a cream layer, which is then skimmed off. Though less efficient, some artisanal producers still use this method to achieve a milder flavor.

Why is milk fat content the most important factor? Regulations in China and the EU define butter as having at least 80% milk fat. The remaining content is water (about 16%) and milk solids. Butter with over 82% milk fat is considered high-fat, offering richer flavor, better spreadability, and lower water content—key for baking.

In short, milk fat defines butter’s potential. Later processes can enhance it, but they can’t change its basic quality.

The Birth of Butter: From Liquid to Solid

This is often the most misunderstood part of butter science.

Step 1: Milk Collection and Standardization  

Milk is tested and adjusted to ensure quality and consistency.

Step 2: Cream Separation and Pasteurization  

Cream is separated and heated to eliminate harmful bacteria while preserving flavor.

Step 3: Cream Ripening — Fermented vs. Non-Fermented  

Cream may be fermented with cultures to develop tangy flavor, or left unfermented for a milder taste.

Step 4: Churning and Breaking — Butter Is Born!  

Cream is agitated until fat globules clump together, forming butter grains and separating buttermilk.

Step 5: Cooling, Shaping, and Packaging  

The butter is cooled, shaped into blocks or rolls, and packaged for freshness.

Together, these steps transform liquid milk into the solid, flavorful butter essential in baking and cooking worldwide.

Bakery China 2026 will continue to share more industry professional content with you, so please stay tuned!

Bakery China 2026, organized by China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry (CABCI) and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd. was launched since 1997. Bakery China 2026 is the Asia Pacific’s leading event serving the entire value chain for the bakery and confectionery market. The event presents all range of ingredient, equipment, packaging and services, and enables global leading professionals and buyer delegates to meet and share the latest innovations and thinking on manufacturing & distribution, R&D, applications and related services for bakery industry. It is the first-choice trade fair to enter China’s bakery market.

The 2026 ASEAN International Bakery Exhibition (Bakery ASEAN) is a premier trade event focusing on the bakery and related industries in ASEAN and global markets. The resources of the full industrial chain from the local and the international of Bakery China are converged here.

Bakery ASEAN 2026 will be held on August 27-29 at JIExpo (Jakarta, Indonesia), co-located with renowned We Pack Indonesia, Cafe Show Indonesia held by Reed Exhibitions Group. Altogether, the shows will be covering 20,000 square meters, expecting more than 500 exhibitors and 50,000 professional buyers including distributors, imports and exports, manufacturers, chain stores, supermarkets, convenient stores, hotels and cafes, etc. from not only the ASEAN but also the rest of the world.

(Source: Tokyo Bakery Professional)