FLAVOR
The flavor of butter in determined primarily by the senses of taste and smell. To register its full taste sensation, a substance must be soluble so that it can be carried quickly to the taste buds of the tongue .

The sense of smell supplements taste in determining flavor in butter. The warmth of the mouth melts the butter and frees it volatile aromas which then enter the olfactory chambers, coming forward into the nose. Moisture in the mouth and nasal passages enhances the transmission of flavor sensations.

There are only four primary taste sensations: sweet, sour, salt, and bitter. Sugar produces the sensation of sweetness; lactic acid or a tart apple produces a sour taste; common table salt produces a sensation of saltiness, and quinine produces a
bitter sensation. When melted butter comes in direct contact with the taste buds, its sweet and salty characteristics are detected by the taste buds located at the tip of the tongue, its sour characteristics by those on the sides of the tongue, and
its bitter characteristics by those at the back of the tongue.

The proper procedure in grading butter is first to use the sense of smell, and then the sense of taste to confirm and establish the character, probable origin, and degree of development of each flavor present. By discerning carefully the odor or aroma characteristics of the sample, the character, and degree of the flavor present, the grader is able to identify and classify the flavor properly.

Aroma in butter may be present to a greater or lesser degree. In the higher grades of butter, a pleasing aroma accentuates certain pleasing or desirable flavors. An
objectionable aroma or odor is generally associated with flavors present in the lower grades of butter, and serves to accentuate the undesirable flavor characteristics. The aroma noted in butter before it is tasted reflects a general indication of its quality.

The temperature of the butter at the time of grading is important in determining the true characteristics of flavor and aroma. The temperature of the butter should preferably range from 40oF. to 50oF. A temperature of about 70ºF. is preferable in the grading room; it should not be below 60ºF .