Why does milk, cream, yogurt, etc. become rancid if left unrefrigerated, but butter can just freeball in a butter dish for-seemingly-ever and still be safe and edible?

Question

I just don’t get it. I’m sure there’s a very sciency explanation, but it makes no sense to me. I love that it can sit out to be soft and spreadable, but you try that with cream and you’re on the way to a stinky cheese, milk or yogurt you’ve just got a curdled surprise.

So why can butter just sit out and not start to stink or become dangerous to eat?

In: 122

Answer 1

A quarter pound stick will only have about 24 hours or so to decompose until it is consumed where I’m at, so that problem never arises this time of year. There are some spring, and summer, and fall days that will turn a stick of left out butter into a yellow pool of goop though.