Relation of the Essential Oils of Coronopus didymus to the Tainting of Butter

Abstract

Coronopus didymus is a cruciferous weed which grows abundantly in the summer rainfall areas of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. When eaten by cows, a characteristic taint is produced in the milk, cream and butter, resembling, particularly in butter, a scorched or burnt flavour. This taint is intensified by heat treatment of the cream and is responsible for considerable economic loss. The taint cannot be controlled by removal of the cows from the affected areas a few hours before milking, or by modern methods of cream processing in the factory.