A question about butter...Is this safe?

Question

I keep my butter in the refrigerator (learned that from my parents). However, I've noticed that my in-laws keep theirs out on the table, to keep it soft. I also remember other friends parents doing this when I was in high school. I only use butter for toast, grilled cheese, baking, etc (things that soft butter works better for) so it seems to make sense... IF it's safe.
Is it? If so... how long can it be out?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Storage: Storing butter properly, lengthens the shelf life so it can be used over a longer period of time. To prevent a type of spoilage called rancidity, protect butter from heat, light and air by storing it covered in the refrigerator. Rancid butter has an unpleasant taste and smell.

Butter absorbs odors from other foods rapidly. To prevent flavor changes, keep butter wrapped in moisture- and vapor-proof material or in tightly covered containers. For refrigerator storage, leave butter in its original wrapper. Opened portions of butter should be refrigerated in a covered dish.

Butter can be stored for up to two weeks at refrigerator temperatures (below 40 °F). Higher temperatures cause off-flavors and unpleasant odors to develop. Butter should not be stored in the butter keeper (set at warmer temperatures) on the refrigerator door longer than two days. For ease in spreading, remove butter from the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before using it.

For holding longer than two weeks, butter should be frozen. To store butter in the freezer, wrap it in moisture- and vapor-proof freezer packaging material to keep the butter from absorbing odors from other foods and to prevent freezer burn. Butter in its original carton can be over-wrapped. Butter in one-pound blocks can be cut into smaller portions, repackaged and frozen for future use. If properly wrapped and held at 0 °F or lower, butter will keep well in the freezer for six to nine months. Thaw butter in the refrigerator.

Answer 2

It should be safe. Just keep a lid on it.

Bacteria need a friendly enviroment to grow - food (Carbs), water and "comfort".

Butter and Margarine is mostly fat with a small percentage water and salt.

Butter is okay to leave at room temp because...
Very little carbs in butter (No food).
Low moisture, 15 to 18% water. (very little water)
The salt hinders bacterial growth (bad enviroment - dries out bacteria).

Some people are concerned with rancidity (oxidation) in fats, but if you keep the butter covered (low oxygen) and you're not using a stick of butter that you've left out for a month or two, then you don't have to worry about rancidity.

My recommendation is just leave enough butter out for a few days to a week at a time.

Answer 3

I keep stick butter in the fridge also, but my mother-in-law keeps in a dish on the countertop with a lid on it. She uses hers a lot, so it makes sense. I, on the other hand, don't use it that often, so it makes sense for me to leave it in the fridge. I also buy the squeezable container for toast so that I don't have to worry about the stick butter being to hard to spread. I use stick butter for cooking and baking only.

Answer 4

i eat peanut butter on a daily basis haha i think im addicted haha. i in basic terms eat jiff tho and that i havent had any issues however the only peanut butter that has been discovered w/ salmonella at the instant is the vast batches which includes in crackers w/ peanut butter and cookies and the such. as for the guy who mentioned to have ur telephone interior of sight after u eat it incase it does have salmonella u could learn till now u are a jerk reason salmonella doesnt attack straight away like a stroke or seizures or watever. it may stay on your physique for weeks with out you even understanding it.

Answer 5

Butter is okay left out for a few days. It gets rank - like any fat - after a while, but doesn't really spoil enough to make you sick. Folks who leave it on the table generally use it to butter their bread and add to cooked veggies, etc. so it probably gets used up quickly enough that spoilage isn't a problem.

Answer 6

I keep it in the fridge because it is a dairy product.
Keeping butter tightly wrapped delays rancidity, which is hastened by exposure to light or air, and also helps prevent it from picking up other odors. Wrapped butter has a shelf life of several months at refrigerator temperatures.[

Answer 7

We keeps ours out all the time in a dish with a lid....it's suppose to be good to use butter at room temperature because it's easier to spread, therefore you usually use less and it's a good way to watch your calories!

Answer 8

i keep mine out in a sealed plastic butter dish (i usually keep it in the cabinet as well), you can tell if it's "turning"--and it takes quite a while (ceratainly over a week). it is SO much easier to spread!!

(you could put half a stick out if you don't use it very fast)

Answer 9

I know it is supposed to be OK. But it scares me. So I just keep the whipped kind in the fridge for toast and stuff. Just one less thing to worry about.

Answer 10

You can safely keep it out for while, but it would tend to melt and get a little messy.