The difference between pasteurised and unpasteurised butter

Butter is a beloved staple in kitchens across the UK, but not all butter is made the same way. Wander down the dairy aisle, or read a cheesemonger's label, and you'll see terms like "pasteurised" and "unpasteurised" (or "raw") butter. Understanding the difference can help you make a more informed choice about what you're spreading on your toast — even if, as is increasingly the case, genuine raw butter is becoming harder to find on UK shelves.

What is pasteurised butter?

Pasteurised butter is made from cream that has been heated to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria and enzymes. This process, known as pasteurisation, makes the butter safe to consume and extends its shelf life. The vast majority of butter sold in the UK — including most artisan and farmhouse butter — is pasteurised.

What is unpasteurised (raw) butter?

Unpasteurised butter, also known as raw butter, is made from cream that hasn't undergone pasteurisation. It retains more of its natural enzymes and beneficial bacteria, which some believe can be advantageous for digestion and gut health.

The claimed benefits of raw butter

Advocates of raw butter point to its higher nutrient content. Because it isn't heat-treated, it retains more of the beneficial vitamins, enzymes and healthy fats naturally present in fresh cream — raw butter is particularly rich in vitamins A, D, E and K2, which play a role in bone, skin and immune health.

Raw butter also retains fatty acids such as butyrate, which is linked to gut health and inflammation reduction, along with lauric acid, which has natural antimicrobial properties. Fans of raw butter also point to its taste: traditional methods like hand-churning and natural fermentation give it a creamier texture and a more complex, slightly tangy flavour that pasteurised butter can't fully replicate.

An important safety note

Raw dairy products, including raw butter, carry a higher food-safety risk than their pasteurised equivalents, because they haven't been heat-treated to remove harmful bacteria such as listeria, salmonella and E. coli. The Food Standards Agency advises that pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system should avoid raw dairy products altogether. If you do choose to eat raw butter, always buy from a producer you trust, who follows strict hygiene and testing standards.

How butter is made

Both pasteurised and unpasteurised butter start the same way: by churning cream until it separates into butterfat and buttermilk. For pasteurised butter, the cream is first heated to around 72°C for about 15 seconds, then cooled before churning. For raw butter, the cream goes straight into the churn after separation from the milk, with no heat treatment at any stage.

Where does this leave raw butter in the UK today?

Genuine raw butter is a genuinely niche product in Britain, made by only a small handful of specialist dairies, and it isn't something we currently stock at Farmfetch. If you're drawn to raw butter for its cultured, tangy character rather than the "unpasteurised" label specifically, it's worth exploring cultured butter more broadly — cultured butters (pasteurised, but made using the same live-culture fermentation step) capture much of that same complexity and tang, safely. Cultured Gold from Nettle Foods is a good example: a small-batch, cultured dairy-fat spread with real depth of flavour, and you'll find it alongside our other British butter in our butter collection. And if it's the artisan, farmhouse story behind raw butter that appeals to you, our British dairy collection is full of small-producer cheeses made using the same traditional, slow methods.

FAQ

Is raw butter legal to sell in the UK?

Yes, raw (unpasteurised) dairy products can be sold legally in the UK, though sales are more tightly regulated than pasteurised products and producers must meet strict hygiene and registration requirements.

Is unpasteurised butter safe to eat?

It carries a higher food-safety risk than pasteurised butter because it hasn't been heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria. The Food Standards Agency advises pregnant women, young children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system to avoid raw dairy products.

Does Farmfetch sell raw or unpasteurised butter?

Not currently — we no longer stock any raw or unpasteurised butter. If you love the tangy, cultured flavour raw butter is known for, our Cultured Gold cultured spread is a great place to start.

What's the difference in taste between pasteurised and raw butter?

Raw butter tends to have a richer, tangier and more complex flavour due to the natural fermentation that occurs before churning. Pasteurised butter has a cleaner, milder flavour, though cultured pasteurised butters can achieve a similar tang safely.