Kinetic modeling of changes in some quality parameters of butter produced with different heat treatments and addition of Myrtus communis essential oil

In this study, the quality characteristics of butters produced from different heat-treated creams (15-30-60 s at 70-80-90ºC) enriched with the natural antioxidant Myrtus communis essential oil (EOs) at 200 ppm level were investigated and compared with the synthetic antioxidant ascorbyl palmitate (AP). According to PV and TBA formation kinetics, Ea values for control, M. communis EOs and AP enriched butters were found to be 32.63 to 42.05 kJ/mol and 11.17 to 20.99 kJ/mol, and vitamin A, α-tocopherol and β-carotene degradation Ea values were found to be 35.74 to 41.79 kJ/mol, 8.36 to 29.19 kJ/mol and 16.03 to 31.27 kJ/mol at 70, 80 and 90ºC, respectively. M. communis EOs contains terpenes and terpenoids such as α-pinene (32.90%), 1,8-cineole (22.52%), α-terpinol (9.40%), 3-carene (6.91%), d-limonene (6.30%) and β-linalool (3.43%). Palmitic, oleic, myristic and stearic acid are the main fatty acids of sour cream butter. Kinetic data and chemometric separation analysis showed that fresh and stored butters obtained from sour cream processed at 90°C differed from those of butter processed at 70 and 80°C (p<0.05). According to principal component analysis, control butters were more preferred with better odour, flavour and overall acceptability scores (p<0.05). As a result, it was found that the properties of the butter obtained by low heat treatment and the use of M. communis EOs in butter production were improved, and the essential oil can be used as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants in order to obtain a functional product and extend the shelf life of butter due to its α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, α-terpineole, d-limonene and β-linalol content.