Anyone who regularly eats bread with cold butter from the refrigerator has probably sometimes been annoyed by the fact that the fat is not distributed properly. In this article, we will understand why it is better not to store butter in the refrigerator.
But it shouldn't be like that, because butter has no place in the refrigerator.
And here's why.
Why it is better not to store oil in the refrigerator
As a spread, for baking or simply for cooking, butter is a versatile tool in cooking. Because it is a dairy product, it ends up in the refrigerator for many consumers.
Like many other products that do not necessarily need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Alternatives to butter have appeared in supermarkets and discounters, which should be particularly soft and easily spreadable. However, they often contain palm oil or other additives.
To keep the butter as soft as possible, the best advice is not to store it in the refrigerator. If you use the fat within two weeks, you can safely store it in the kitchen, for example in a butter dish, but then the room temperature should be below 21 °C, the consumer protection center warns.
Why is it better not to store butter in the refrigerator, but at room temperature?
If you want to significantly extend the shelf life of butter, you can store it in the refrigerator. It will be stored there from several weeks to several months. Freezing is one option, for example, in the form of several small portions.
So the oil can be stored for several months.
Another tip on how to keep butter fresh longer
According to experts at the Centre for Consumer Rights Protection, it is necessary to use clean cutlery when taking a small amount of butter from a large piece. If the expiration date has been exceeded or the room temperature has changed, the oil does not necessarily need to be thrown into the trash.
Why you shouldn't always store butter in the fridge
Instead, a so-called common sense check can help at this stage.
This means: you can simply use all your senses to carefully examine the oil.
What does butter look like? Does the fat have an unpleasant odor or taste? According to the Center for the Protection of Consumer Rights, if the butter leaves a normal aftertaste, then it is not necessary to throw it away.
However, consumers should be cautious if the butter is dark yellow in color. Bacteria, light, and oxygen can cause butter to go rancid, producing potentially harmful decomposition products.
This can quickly lead to digestive problems. People with gallbladder problems should be especially careful, because their fat digestion is usually already impaired.