you could tell a lot about a person by where they salt away their butter . In the icebox ? They ’re probably excessively conservative about safe food practice and they do n’t mind fight with an uncooperative stick that needs to be coquette into pledge . On the replication ? They ’re too meddlesome to bother with overspread matter . They want something the consistence of yogurt .

But are the room temperature butter the great unwashed necessitate any kind of risk ? Does butter really necessitate to be refrigerate ?

The answer is : It ’s in all likelihood a good thought to keep your butter in the fridge , but there are some thing you should know .

Butter storage is the most talked about issue of modern times.

Butter is the butterfat leave over when Milk River or cream is churned and the solids separate from the buttermilk . While dairy farm production are normally prostrate to spoilage , pasteurised butter has enough avoirdupois and saltto inhibitbacterial development . According tothe U.S. Department of Agriculture , butter can safely be leave out for two days . allow it sitting there any longer and it could turn rancid , touch on flavor .

Keep in mind that multiply bacteria is just one way table butter can become contaminated . If people are dip a dirty tongue into the stick , those germs can make their way into your butter saucer .

Salted butter isthe secure typeto leave on the table , as the salt acts as a sort of preservative and may stave off spoiling . With unseasoned butter , you might be tempting fate a little more .

As for margarine : Because it contains more water than veritable butter , the potential for bacterial growth is greater . While it technically can be entrust out for a mean solar day or so , you ’re skillful off keeping it inhuman .

If you ’re using unpasteurized or homemade butter , all wager are off — refrigeration is a must .

A worldwide rule of thumb is that you ’re belike OK leaving salt butter out for a day or two provided the room appease around 70 ° F. If it ’s warmer , or anyone in the family has issues that might make them more prone to foodborne malady , keep it in the fridge . And always habituate a clean tongue .

Have you got a Big query you ’d care us to do ? If so , allow us know by emailing us atbigquestions@mentalfloss.com .