Overview
EN ISO 3727-2:2001 is a European and international standard specifying the reference method for determining the non-fat solids content of butter. Developed jointly by ISO and the International Dairy Federation (IDF), this standard is part two of a three-part series addressing butter composition-specifically moisture, non-fat solids, and fat contents. The accurate measurement of non-fat solids is essential for quality control, nutritional labeling, and compliance with food safety regulations in dairy production.
This standard supersedes EN ISO 3727:1995 and was adopted across CEN member countries, ensuring harmonization in butter analysis methodology throughout Europe and internationally.
Key Topics
- Scope: Defines the reference analytical procedure to quantify the non-fat solids content in butter samples, expressed as a percentage by mass.
- Principle: The method involves evaporating water from a weighed butter sample, extracting fat using a volatile solvent (light petroleum or pentane), and weighing the remaining non-fat solids.
- Terms and Definitions: Non-fat solids content is the mass fraction remaining after moisture and fat removal.
- Required Reagents:
- Light petroleum with boiling range 30°C to 60°C or pentane as a solvent for fat extraction.
- Apparatus:
- Analytical balance with 0.1 mg readability
- Thermostatically controlled drying oven (102°C ± 2°C)
- Desiccator with silica gel or equivalent drying agent
- Porcelain or metal drying dishes, filter crucibles, water/steam bath, glass stirring rods
- Sample Handling and Preparation:
- Sample homogeneity must be preserved without breaking butter emulsion.
- Storage and transport conditions: airtight container, 2°C–14°C until testing.
- Sample warming prior to testing to promote homogenization (up to 35°C).
- Test Procedure:
- Drying butter samples in oven or water bath followed by fat extraction with light petroleum.
- Repeated solvent washing until fat residuals are eliminated.
- Final drying and precise weighing steps to calculate non-fat solids.
- Calculation Formula for non-fat solids content is provided based on mass measurements.
- Precision:
- Repeatability error ≤ 0.15% mass fraction under same-lab conditions.
- Reproducibility error ≤ 0.25% mass fraction across different labs.
- Safety Note: Use of flammable solvents requires compliance with safety regulations related to electrical equipment and solvent handling.
Applications
- Quality Control in Dairy Industry: Ensures butter products meet compositional standards for fat and solids components.
- Nutritional Labeling: Accurate non-fat solids content enables precise nutritional data disclosure on packaging.
- Regulatory Compliance: Supports adherence to legislative requirements for dairy product composition.
- Research & Development: Serves as a baseline method for product formulation and ingredient testing.
- Interlaboratory Standardization: Facilitates reliable comparison of test results across laboratories and countries through established repeatability and reproducibility benchmarks.
Related Standards
- EN ISO 3727-1:2001 – Determination of moisture content in butter (reference method).
- EN ISO 3727-3:2001 – Calculation method for fat content in butter.
- ISO 707 – Sampling methods for milk and dairy products, recommended for use with ISO 3727 series.
- AOAC Official Methods – Complementary methods developed in collaboration with AOAC International relating to milk and dairy product analysis.
By following the standardized procedure detailed in EN ISO 3727-2:2001, laboratories and manufacturers can ensure accurate, consistent, and internationally recognized results for butter's non-fat solids content analysis, which is vital for quality assurance and market acceptance.
