Grade AA is the highest possible grade; Grade AA butter must achieve a numerical score of 93 out of 100 points based on its aroma, flavour, and texture. [2] Butter is graded based on the sweetness of its flavor, the quality of cream the butter was made from, the smoothness of its texture, and the degree of flavor impurities such as acidity, bitterness, feed, malty, musty, weed, and whey. [7][8] Butter of the first grade cannot be made from cream given the second grade. Like grade AA, it is widely available at food markets across the country. [2], Butter, along with other dairy products, is given a grade of Canada 1, Canada 2, or Canada 3. ", "Import and Interprovincial Requirements for Dairy Products – Overview", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Butter_grading&oldid=966915458, Articles with limited geographic scope from December 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 July 2020, at 00:12. United States. [3] The grade indication of the butter is usually displayed in the most prominent area of the packaging, although it may also be displayed on the side or elsewhere. [5] It is widely available at most places food products are sold. [1] By a 1923 act of Congress, all butter sold in the United States must be composed of at least 80% milkfat. [6], Grade A, made from fresh cream, has a stronger flavor than grade AA butter. Grade A butter is almost as good, with a score of 92 out of 100 points. [3], When grading butter, the inspector begins with a score of 100. [5], In addition, all U.S. butters must pass microbiological standards. Learn the good & bad for 250,000+ products. Find a selection of high-quality Butter & Margarine products at Costco Business Center for delivery to your business. Salt (if present) must be completely dissolved and thoroughly distributed. Butter sold in the United States is assigned one of three letter grades; AA, A, and B. It is often made from sour cream. Each defect in flavor, texture, color, or saltiness results in a subtraction of one-half, one, or one and one-half points, depending on the characteristic and the degree of the defect, whether it is slight, definite, or pronounced. Download the Instacart app now to get groceries, alcohol, home essentials, and more delivered in as fast as 1 hour to your front door or available for pickup from your favorite local stores. [1] Grade B butter must score at least 90 points, anything less can not be made available to United States consumers. [7], The examples and perspective in this article, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "What distinguishes a "high quality" butter from regular butter? Personalized health review for User added: Grade AA butter (pasteurized) from Costco: 100 calories, nutrition grade (N/A), problematic ingredients, and more. By a 1923 act of Congress, all butter sold in the United States must be composed of at least 80% milkfat. [1] Butter graded as "AA" does not necessarily indicate the butter may meet the expectations of gourmands. [2] Butter that exceeds certain workmanship dis-ratings is rated on flavor only, and can not attain the highest grades. [1] If the butter is salted, the salt must be evenly distributed and not interfere with the smooth texture of the butter. [1] Butter of this grade must score 92 points. Butter sold in the United States is assigned one of three letter grades; AA, A, and B. Butter grading involves the grading, inspection, assessment and sorting of butter to quantify its quality, freshness, and conformity to legal requirements. [4], Grade AA butter, made from sweet cream, is the highest grade of butter, has a sweet flavor, and is readily spreadable. [9] Grade 3 butter is a processing grade used for product packaged and sold in bulk. [3] To get this grade, the butter must achieve a score of at least 93 out of a possible 100. [3] This grade of butter is usually only used in cooking, or some manufacturing processes, although many consumers will find it perfectly palatable. Order delivery or pickup from more than 300 retailers and grocers. [5] It is likely to be of a coarser texture than grade AA. The texture of this grade may be crumbly, sticky, or watery. [1], Grade B butter is the lowest grade of butter available for consumer use.